A close first half became a clear win for Los Angeles when these teams met at AT&T Stadium on December 21, 2025. The Chargers beat the Dallas Cowboys 34-17 in their Week 16 game of the 2025 NFL regular season. Justin Herbert led an attack that gained yards through the air and on the ground. Dallas had strong moments from Dak Prescott and George Pickens, but failed to score after halftime. This guide to the Chargers vs Dallas Cowboys Match Player Stats covers that specific game, with passing, rushing, receiving, defensive and special teams numbers, plus a clear look at the plays behind the result.
Game Result and Score by Quarter
The final score alone does not show how close this game was early on. Dallas scored first, and the teams traded the lead during the opening half. Los Angeles went into halftime ahead 21-17 after Herbert scored on a short run with 19 seconds left. At that stage, both offenses had found ways to move the ball. The Cowboys were still within one touchdown of taking back the lead, so their strong passing numbers had real value while the game remained close.
The Chargers vs Dallas Cowboys Match Player Stats become easier to understand when viewed beside this scoring pattern. Los Angeles added 13 points after the break and allowed none. Dallas therefore lost ground even though its final passing figures looked solid. This was a game in which timing mattered. The Chargers kept turning drives into points, while the Cowboys could not build on their early success. The second half explains why the final margin was much wider than the halftime gap.
Team Box Score and Main Differences
Los Angeles finished with 452 total net yards, while Dallas gained 340. The visitors also led in rushing yards, first downs and time of possession. Those advantages worked together. More successful plays helped the Chargers extend drives, and longer drives gave their defense time to rest. Dallas had chances to respond, but its offense had fewer successful third downs and failed on two of its three fourth-down attempts. Los Angeles made 24 first downs on 62 offensive plays, compared with 18 first downs on 56 plays for Dallas.
| Team Statistic | Chargers | Cowboys |
|---|---|---|
| Final score | 34 | 17 |
| Total net yards | 452 | 340 |
| Net passing yards | 300 | 249 |
| Rushing yards | 152 | 91 |
| Third-down conversions | 7 of 11 | 4 of 9 |
| Turnovers lost | 0 | 1 |
One useful detail in the Chargers vs Dallas Cowboys Match Player Stats is the difference between passing yards and net passing yards. Prescott and Joe Milton III combined for 255 passing yards. A six-yard sack reduced the Dallas team total to 249 net passing yards. Herbert was not sacked, so both Los Angeles passing totals were 300. This distinction also explains the overall yardage. Dallas had 249 net passing yards plus 91 rushing yards, which equals its 340 total net yards. Los Angeles held the ball for 34:27, while Dallas had possession for 25:33. The Chargers averaged 7.3 yards per offensive play, compared with 6.1 for the Cowboys.
Quarterback Stats for Both Teams
Herbert completed 23 of 29 passes for 300 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. His completion rate was 79.3%, and his passer rating was 132.8. Prescott completed 21 of 30 throws for 244 yards and two scores, also without an interception. His completion rate was 70.0%, with a 116.5 rating. Milton added two completions on two attempts for 11 yards. In the short table, TD means passing touchdowns and INT means interceptions. Completions and attempts show how many passes each quarterback completed out of the number he threw.
| Quarterback | Completions/Attempts | Passing Yards | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Herbert | 23/29 | 300 | 2 | 0 |
| Dak Prescott | 21/30 | 244 | 2 | 0 |
| Joe Milton III | 2/2 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
The Chargers vs Dallas Cowboys Match Player Stats show that Herbert produced more passing yards on fewer attempts than Prescott. He also added value as a runner, which is separate from his passing totals. Prescott’s two touchdown throws helped Dallas stay close, but his final line should be read alongside the score by quarter. A good full-game rating does not mean an offense remained effective throughout the afternoon. Here, the lack of second-half points was a major limit on Dallas’s passing success.
Rushing Yards, Carries and Touchdowns
Omarion Hampton led all runners with 85 yards on 16 carries. He averaged 5.3 yards per attempt and scored a five-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Herbert added 42 rushing yards and a touchdown on eight attempts, including the game’s longest run at 34 yards. Hassan Haskins added 14 yards on four carries, while Kimani Vidal had 11 on five attempts. Dallas used six ball carriers, but none scored on the ground. Javonte Williams led the Cowboys with 34 yards on nine carries, and Malik Davis added 23 on eight.
The rushing part of the Chargers vs Dallas Cowboys Match Player Stats shows both a yardage advantage and a scoring difference. Los Angeles gained 61 more rushing yards and scored twice on the ground. Williams and Malik Davis combined for 57 yards on 17 carries, leaving Dallas without the same support from its main running backs. When reading averages, carry totals matter too. Prescott’s 14 yards came from only two runs, while Hampton maintained a strong average across a much larger workload. KaVontae Turpin added 13 yards on two carries, Milton gained seven on one, and Hunter Luepke had one attempt without a gain.
Chargers Receiving Box Score
Quentin Johnston led the Chargers with 104 receiving yards on four catches. His longest reception covered 50 yards, while his touchdown came on a separate 23-yard catch in the first quarter. Tre’ Harris added 54 yards, Keenan Allen had 44, and Ladd McConkey gained 43 with a touchdown. Will Dissly caught three passes for 28 yards. Hampton and KeAndre Lambert-Smith each caught one pass for 10 yards, and Oronde Gadsden II added one catch for seven. Los Angeles completed passes to eight different players, giving the offense several useful options.
This section of the Chargers vs Dallas Cowboys Match Player Stats shows why catches and yards should be compared together. Allen caught all five of his targets, giving Herbert a reliable option. Johnston made fewer catches but gained far more yards because his receptions covered greater distances. McConkey’s 25-yard touchdown also carried clear scoring value despite his smaller yardage total. Each player helped in a different way, so a simple ranking by catches would miss part of the story.
Cowboys Receiving Box Score
George Pickens led every receiver in the game with 130 yards on seven catches from nine targets. His 38-yard touchdown gave Dallas a 17-14 lead during the second quarter. CeeDee Lamb added six catches for 51 yards, while Ryan Flournoy scored on a five-yard pass during the opening drive. Jake Ferguson caught three passes for 19 yards, Turpin had two catches for 14, and Luepke made one catch for 14. Williams added two receptions for nine yards. Dallas spread its completed passes across seven players. Jonathan Mingo also received a target, although he did not make a catch.
Pickens stands out in the Chargers vs Dallas Cowboys Match Player Stats because he supplied just over half of his team’s 255 receiving yards. His production gave Dallas a clear threat down the field. Still, a receiver can lead the game in yards while his team loses. The other parts of the offense must also keep drives moving and finish scoring chances. Flournoy offers another useful example: his 18 yards were modest, but one of his two catches produced six points.
Chargers Defensive Box Score
Tony Jefferson led Los Angeles with eight combined defensive tackles. Derwin James Jr., Denzel Perryman and Daiyan Henley each had six. Tuli Tuipulotu recorded the game’s only sack, which cost Dallas six yards, and later recovered Milton’s fumble. Benjamin St-Juste added five tackles, while Tuipulotu had four tackles and two quarterback hits. Marcus Williams, Troy Dye and Elijah Molden each made three tackles. Combined tackles include both solo stops and assisted tackles.
The defensive side of the Chargers vs Dallas Cowboys Match Player Stats is about more than sacks. Los Angeles held Dallas scoreless after halftime and stopped two fourth-down attempts during that stretch. James forced the late fumble, and Tuipulotu recovered it with an 11-yard return. Tuipulotu and Tart also each recorded a tackle for loss. Neither team made an interception. Perryman, St-Juste and Jamarion Caldwell each defended a pass. Odafe Oweh added the team’s other quarterback hit. These details show how the Chargers ended drives without needing a large sack total or several takeaways to control the second half.
Cowboys Defensive Box Score
Shavon Revel Jr. led Dallas with nine combined tackles and one pass defended. Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson followed with seven tackles each. Trevon Diggs had six, while Logan Wilson and Shemar James made five apiece. Dallas recorded five quarterback hits but no sacks. Osa Odighizuwa supplied two of those hits. Kenneth Murray Jr., Donovan Ezeiruaku and Markquese Bell each added one. These numbers separate contact with the quarterback from actually stopping him behind the line on a passing play.
The Chargers vs Dallas Cowboys Match Player Stats show that Dallas could make contact without creating enough lost yardage. Bell forced a Herbert fumble, but Herbert recovered it himself, so it did not become a turnover. Hooker, Donovan Wilson and Steward each recorded a tackle for loss. A high tackle count should also be read with care. It shows involvement, but does not tell readers whether the tackle happened before a first down or after a large gain. Team yards allowed provide that missing context.
Kicking, Punting and Return Stats
Cameron Dicker made both field-goal attempts, from 37 and 27 yards, and all four extra points. Brandon Aubrey made a 33-yard field goal and both Dallas extra points. Neither kicker missed a scoring attempt. JK Scott punted once for 55 yards, while Bryan Anger’s only punt traveled 42 yards. Both punts finished inside the opposing 20-yard line. Dicker finished with 10 points from kicks, while Aubrey supplied five.
Special teams also shaped the field position battle. Turpin returned six kickoffs for 148 yards, an average of 24.7 yards per return. Vidal gained 41 yards on two returns, while Lambert-Smith had 36 yards on two. Turpin and Vidal each had a longest return of 31 yards. Neither side recorded a punt return, as McConkey and Turpin each made one fair catch. On kickoff coverage, Del’Shawn Phillips had four combined special teams tackles, Haskins had two, and St-Juste and Justin Eboigbe each had one. Dallas recorded one special teams tackle each from Houston, Bridges and Brevyn Spann-Ford, plus two from C.J. Goodwin.
Scoring Plays That Changed the Game
Dallas opened with Prescott’s five-yard touchdown pass to Flournoy. Herbert answered with a 23-yard scoring throw to Johnston. Aubrey then put the Cowboys ahead 10-7 before McConkey’s 25-yard touchdown catch moved Los Angeles in front. Pickens replied with his 38-yard score, giving Dallas its final lead at 17-14. These plays are useful companions to the Chargers vs Dallas Cowboys Match Player Stats because they show when each touchdown changed the score, rather than treating every scoring play as an isolated number.
Herbert’s one-yard touchdown run ended a 16-play, 81-yard drive just before halftime. Los Angeles then scored the only points of the second half. Dicker’s two field goals stretched the lead to 27-17, and Hampton’s late touchdown settled the result. The second field-goal drive lasted 8:18, taking a large amount of time away from Dallas. A drive can therefore help a team in two ways: it can add points and reduce the time available for an opponent to answer.
How to Compare the Player Numbers Fairly
Start with the role each player had in the game. A running back with 16 carries had more chances to gain yards than one with five. A receiver’s targets show his opportunities, while catches show the passes he completed. Compare those figures with yards and touchdowns before deciding who had the stronger performance. Johnston’s 26.0 yards per catch shows the value of his longer gains. Allen’s five catches from five targets shows a different strength, reliable receiving on every pass directed his way.
The Chargers vs Dallas Cowboys Match Player Stats also reward a careful look at how totals overlap. Passing yards and receiving yards describe the same completed passes, so adding them together would count those yards twice. Kickoff return yards belong to special teams and are not part of offensive yardage. Likewise, a lost fumble is a turnover, while a fumble recovered by the same team is not. Keeping these differences clear helps readers understand both individual performances and the final team numbers.
Conclusion
Los Angeles won this game through accurate passing, stronger rushing production and a defense that kept Dallas scoreless after halftime. Herbert supplied passing touchdowns and a rushing score, Hampton led the ground game, and Johnston made the biggest receiving gains for the Chargers. Pickens led all receivers in yards, but Dallas could not turn its early success into a full-game response. The Chargers vs Dallas Cowboys Match Player Stats explain the 34-17 result most clearly when player totals are read alongside scoring, drive results and team efficiency.
(FAQ’s)
1. Who won the Chargers and Cowboys game on December 21, 2025?
The Los Angeles Chargers beat the Dallas Cowboys 34-17 at AT&T Stadium.
2. How many passing yards did Justin Herbert have?
Herbert threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns, with no interceptions.
3. Who led the game in receiving yards?
George Pickens led all receivers with 130 yards on seven catches and scored one touchdown.
4. Who had the most rushing yards?
Omarion Hampton led all runners with 85 yards on 16 carries and scored one rushing touchdown.
5. Why did Dallas have 255 passing yards but 249 net passing yards?
A six-yard sack was subtracted from the combined passing yards of Prescott and Milton.
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