"LOS ANGELES -- As running back Omarion Hampton waltzed into the end zone in the fourth quarter of the Los Angeles Chargers' 34-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys, it put a bow on one of the Chargers' most impressive wins of the season. The Cowboys had nothing to play for -- eliminated from the playoffs a day before -- but they jumped on the Chargers' stout defense early."
"But after halftime, the Chargers' defense tightened the screws. The offense, meanwhile, continued to take advantage of one of the league's worst defenses, producing L.A.'s second-highest scoring output of the season. The win marked the Chargers' seventh in their past eight games. It is a surge that has crystallized this team's identity, buoyed by a hard-hitting, turnover-forcing defense and a quarterback in Justin Herbert good enough to keep an offense with the league's worst offensive line afloat."
"And yet, even at 11-4, with a chance to win the AFC West title if they win out, they aren't widely viewed as Super Bowl contenders. They are tied with the Chicago Bears for the 11th-best odds to win the Super Bowl (+1900), according to DraftKings Sportsbook, despite having more wins than many of the teams ahead of them."
The Chargers beat the Cowboys 34-17 as Omarion Hampton scored late, completing a win that highlighted a season-long surge. The Cowboys started fast, but Los Angeles tightened defensively after halftime and its offense exploited a weak Dallas defense to produce the team's second-highest point total of the season. The victory was the Chargers' seventh in eight games and has defined a team identity centered on a turnover-forcing, physical defense and Justin Herbert keeping an undermanned offensive line productive. The team sits 11-4 with a path to the AFC West but faces external skepticism about Super Bowl chances.
Read at ESPN.com
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