Cowboys vs. Chargers: Updated Odds, Money Line, Spread, Props to Watch for MNF
The 3-2 Dallas Cowboys are looking forward to their chance to change the narrative when they travel to Los Angeles to take on the 2-2 Chargers on Monday Night Football.
The Cowboys were left licking their wounds after a pummelling by the San Francisco 49ers 42-10 in Week 5. But a win that would improve their record to 4-2, bringing them within spitting distance of the 5-1 Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East? That would be a nice reset.
Of course, the biggest storyline surrounding this game is that Kellen Moore, Dallas' former offensive coordinator, is now the Chargers' playcaller. The Cowboys defense has been demonstrably picked apart twice now this season, and Moore may have the key to doing it a third time.
Also of note for the Chargers is that an early but, as it turned out, well-timed bye week allowed them to get healthy; Herbert was nursing an injury to his non-throwing hand and running back Austin Ekeler is poised to return from an ankle injury.
Let's take a look at some of the most compelling Cowboys and Chargers player prop bets heading into the Monday night action.
Schedule, Odds and Spread
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Monday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Date: Monday, Oct. 16
Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN, ABC
Live Stream: ESPN app, ABC app
Updated Monday Night Football Odds
Spread: Cowboys -1.5 (-110), Chargers +1.5 (-110)
Money Line: Cowboys -125 (bet $125 to win $100), Chargers +105 (bet $100 to win $105)
Total 51 (Over: -108; Under: -112)
Odds current as of 1 a.m. ET Monday, Oct. 16
MNF Props to Watch
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Justin Herbert Under 275.5 Passing Yards (-115)
Through four games this season (thanks to an early bye week), Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has averaged 276.5 passing yards per game—though this is an instance where the average doesn't tell us much.
So far this season, Herbert has thrown for as few as 167 yards (Week 4 against the Las Vegas Raiders) and as many as 405 (Week 3 against the Minnesota Vikings). Having also gone for 305 yards in Week 2, Herbert has topped 275.5 yards in half his games this season.
However, the Dallas Cowboys come into town boasting the league's second-best passing defense in terms of passing yards allowed per game, at 168.6. The only team allowing fewer is the Cleveland Browns (125). In fact, when you go back and look at the Cowboys' opponents so far this season, no quarterback has topped 275.5 against them. That definitely points to taking the under on this prop.
Keenan Allen Over 84.5 Receiving Yards (-115)
Even if Herbert can't top 275.5 yards on Monday night against the Cowboys, it seems safe to assume he can connect with top target Keenan Allen for at least 85.
Allen is far and away the team's leading pass-catcher four games into the season, with nearly double the receiving yards (434) as the next-most-productive player (Mike Williams, 249 yards). Of course, the team lost Williams for the season when he suffered a torn ACL in Week 3 against the Vikings, making Allen even more vital to the Chargers' passing attack.
Allen is averaging 108.5 yards per game, even topping 200 in that Week 3 win against Minnesota. Before the bye week, he had just 32 yards against the Raiders—but Herbert, who was wearing a splint on his non-throwing hand, also posted career lows in completions (13), attempts (24) and yards (167). Chalk that up as an outlier and assume Allen will continue his productive ways.
Jake Ferguson Anytime TD (+200)
With the Chargers giving up the most passing yards per game in the league, at 299.8, you may assume that most of the Cowboys top pass-catchers would be good prop bet candidates this week.
Where it gets trickier, however, is in the red zone. The Chargers are only allowing opponents to score on half of all trips to the red zone, which is tied for ninth-best in the league. (To put that in perspective, the Seattle Seahawks are allowing opponents to score in the red zone 87.50 percent of the time. Yikes.)
And yet, if anyone has a chance of finding the end zone through the air for the Cowboys this week, it just may be the 6'5", 244-pound Ferguson. He's been targeted inside the red zone 11 times, tied (with the Raiders' Davante Adams) for the most this season. And at +200, why not take a chance at doubling your money?
Monday Night Football odds from DraftKings.
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