Chargers head to Big D

Two teams. One month. Total opposites. The Chargers will play in Dallas versus a Cowboy team that matches up against them well except for when it comes to winning in December. In recent years this has become the time when Dallas begins to unravel. For the Chargers, December is when they start to play their best. On Sunday the Chargers will be hoping that both scenarios remain true.

Last week at Cleveland, San Diego won its 15 th straight December game, a winning streak that spans over four NFL seasons. It’s a big part of the reason why they’ve made the playoffs every year since 2006. A look at the Cowboys December record shows quite a different story. Since Tony Romo took over as the starting quarterback the Cowboys are 5-9 in the NFL’s most crucial month, including last week’s loss to the Giants. They were still able to make the playoffs in 06’ and 07’ but lost both post-season games. In the season finale a years ago, also in December, they were blown out and eliminated in Philadelphia by a score of 44-6.

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Much of the blame for the Cowboys failures in December has fallen on Tony Romo, for it is the month that he seems to be at his worst. However, in the loss to the Giants, Romo played exceptionally well, throwing for 392 yards and three touchdowns. Romo has had a fantastic season overall with over 3300 yards passing, 20 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions. Miles Austin has emerged as a premiere wide receiver, the defense has been a force, and the running game, although nicked up at times with injuries to Marion Barber and Felix Jones, has also been strong. Despite the defeat to New York the Cowboys have plenty of reasons to be optimistic, but what might end up being a bigger challenge than the Chargers is their own heads.

Make no mistake the Chargers will present a tremendous obstacle to victory for Dallas. San Diego has been clicking on all cylinders for quite some time now and is coming into Sunday’s game as one of the hottest teams in the league. They haven’t been just beating teams; they’ve been completely dominating them. Of course some of the competition they’ve faced recently has been light, but the Chargers are no strangers to winning big games. While the Cowboys have been choking late in seasons and post-seasons the Chargers have been winning when it counts like last year when they knocked off a red hot Colts team in the first round of the playoffs.

For the Cowboys on Sunday the mission will be to try to focus on the present and not the shortcomings of the past. It’s a chance for them to avoid another December swoon and all the negativity that will surely surround them with another loss. But this game is just as important for the Chargers as well, who like the Cowboys, have company in their hunt for a division title. San Diego remains just one game ahead of the Denver Broncos and Dallas is tied with Philadelphia for first with the Giants trailing by a game. The game should be a hard fought battle with a playoff feel and will have an impact on both teams chances of making the real playoffs come January.

By Steven Mondelli
ProFootball-fans.com San Diego Chargers Correspondent