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After getting dismantled in Week 5, the Dallas Cowboys' Week 6 game doesn't get any easier as they have drawn another talented offense in the Los Angeles Chargers. Justin Herbert's offensive onslaught is menacing enough on it's own, and Dallas will have to slow him down without several of its top defensive pieces. Having said that, we now make our Cowboys Week 6 predictions and assess whether Dak Prescott and co. have what it takes to bounce back.
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3. Dak Prescott has plenty of time to pass
There weren't many bright spots in Dallas' loss to the 49ers in Week 5. Almost zero, actually. One of the Cowboys' isolated victories was their offensive line play. Tyler Smith turned in his second straight phenomenal effort at left guard and pressure was hardly the issue for Dak Prescott and the Cowboys' offense against San Francisco.
Things are looking good for the Cowboys up front. Dallas' starting five offensive lineman played a full game together for the first time since 2021, and all five were full participants in practice as of Friday morning. The Chargers cannot say the same for their defensive line.
Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa's combined nine sacks have the Chargers sitting seventh overall in team sacks so far this season. Unfortunately for the Chargers, Bosa is a question mark to participate in Monday night's game thanks to a nagging hamstring injury. Bosa already missed two practices this week, which is an especially bad sign considering the Chargers have been off for two weeks thanks to their Week 5 bye.
Even if Bosa plays Monday night, the Cowboys haven't struggled to handle pressure so far this season. The offense may struggle in other areas, but the offensive line won't be to blame if the Cowboys struggle to score.
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2. Austin Ekeler goes for more than 150 scrimmage yards
Dynamic running backs should be licking their chops to take on Dallas' porous run defense right now. The Cowboys are currently 21st in the league in rushing yards allowed per game. 49ers backup Jordan Mason averaged almost seven yards per carry in Week 5. Take Leighton Vander Esch out of the equation and the Cowboys are left with a skeleton crew at linebacker trying to stop one of the most talented backs in football.
Chargers offensive coordinator Kellen Moore knows better than anyone that Dallas' dynamic defense has an Achilles heel where stopping the run is concerned. Don't expect Moore to dial up passes all night long and allow Micah Parsons to tee off on Herbert. Moore will force the Cowboys to prove they can stop Ekeler. If not, Ekeler could be in for a massive night.
1. CeeDee Lamb returns to the forefront of the offense
Mike McCarthy's offense has not benefitted CeeDee Lamb much at all so far. The star wide receiver was visibly frustrated on the sideline in San Francisco, and the Cowboys' inability to get him the football is likely to blame. Lamb met with both McCarthy and Prescott this week as the Cowboys try to right the ship offensively.
Getting Lamb more involved won't be as simple as throwing a few more targets his way. The Cowboys have in Lamb one of the most explosive wide receivers in football. If Dallas' offense is going to make more big plays, nobody but Lamb is going to be the one to make them. Expect Prescott to target Lamb more aggressively than he has so far, especially in the red zone.
