Justin Herbert keeps Chargers rolling toward playoffs with 34-17 win over Cowboys

Justin Herbert threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score and the Los Angeles Chargers closed in on a playoff spot with a 34-17 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

The Chargers’ fourth consecutive victory gave them a chance later in the day to clinch their second postseason berth in two seasons under coach Jim Harbaugh. LA (11-4) would be in with a loss or tie by either Indianapolis or Houston.

Dak Prescott had TD passes on his first two drives but couldn’t find the end zone again for Dallas, which was eliminated from the playoffs for the second year in a row with Philadelphia’s NFC East-clinching victory at Washington on Saturday.

The Cowboys (6-8-1) have lost three in a row since a three-game winning streak that put them over .500 for the only time in coach Brian Schottenheimer’s first season.

In his third full game with his broken non-throwing (left) hand heavily protected, Herbert led the Chargers to touchdowns on all three drives in the first half. Omarion Hampton scored on a 5-yard run in the second half.

A 23-yard TD toss to Quentin Johnston, who played college football a few miles from the home of the Cowboys at TCU, was followed by 25-yarder to Ladd McConkey before Herbert’s 1-yard plunge on a modified version of the tush push. Johnston had four catches for 104 yards.

Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ move to the coaching booth from the sideline didn’t help Dallas’ beleaguered defense. Herbert was 23 of 29 — a season-high 79% — for 300 yards and the Chargers finished with 452 total yards, another season best. They didn’t reach 300 yards in the first two full games with Herbert’s left hand heavily wrapped.

Los Angeles punted on the first possession of the second half and was facing third-and-7 on the next drive when Herbert escaped Kenneth Murray’s grasp in the backfield and sprinted 33 yards, leading to Cameron Dicker’s 27-yard field goal for a 27-17 lead with 9 minutes remaining.

Prescott’s first TD pass was a 5-yarder to Ryan Flournoy, who had another TD wiped out by a holding penalty before exiting with a knee injury and not returning.

George Pickens scored on a 38-yard catch when Prescott hit him in stride in the end zone. Pickens had seven yards on 130 catches coming off two sub-par games that led to criticisms about his playing style.

Injuries

Chargers: LT Jamaree Salyer injured a hamstring in the first half and didn’t return. … CB Donte Jackson exited with a groin injury in the third quarter and didn’t return.

Cowboys: LB DeMarvion Overshown sustained a concussion in the first half and didn’t return. … C Cooper Beebe missed three plays in the first quarter after getting poked in the eye.

Up next

Chargers: Houston at home on Saturday.

Cowboys: At Washington on Thursday.

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