Game story
In Week 14 of the 2009 NFL season on 2009-12-13, the Los Angeles Chargers took care of business against the Dallas Cowboys, pulling away with a 20–17 final that came down to the wire.
The highest-scoring period was Q4 with 17 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
P. Rivers (Los Angeles Chargers) paced the passing game, with +16.56 total EPA, and +8.7% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, P. Rivers (Los Angeles Chargers) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +16.56 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (+20.3% win probability) landed in the fourth quarter when Los Angeles Chargers changed the game: (11:28) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass deep left to 83-V.Jackson to DAL 14 for 39 yards (43-G.Sensabaugh). Pass complete on sideline fly pattern.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Chargers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 20 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 P. Rivers · Los Angeles Chargers · Passing · +16.56 total EPA · 34 snaps · +0.49 EPA/play
- 2 T. Romo · Dallas Cowboys · Passing · +9.28 total EPA · 32 snaps · +0.29 EPA/play
- 3 V. Jackson · Los Angeles Chargers · Receiving · +6.40 total EPA · 11 snaps · +0.58 EPA/play
- 4 P. Crayton · Dallas Cowboys · Receiving · +5.46 total EPA · 3 snaps · +1.82 EPA/play
- 5 A. Gates · Los Angeles Chargers · Receiving · +4.44 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.89 EPA/play
- 6 M. Austin · Dallas Cowboys · Receiving · +4.06 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.51 EPA/play
- 7 R. Williams · Dallas Cowboys · Receiving · +2.90 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.36 EPA/play
- 8 T. Choice · Dallas Cowboys · Rushing · +1.31 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.65 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
P. Rivers — LAC · Passing
P. Rivers posted the highest total EPA (+16.56) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Los Angeles Chargers's efficiency. Across 34 counted snaps, they averaged +0.49 EPA per play.
The signature play (+4.22 EPA) came from Los Angeles Chargers: (11:28) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass deep left to 83-V.Jackson to DAL 14 for 39 yards (43-G.Sensabaugh). Pass complete on sideline fly pattern.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Los Angeles Chargers — L. Tomlinson
- Dallas Cowboys — M. Austin (T. Romo pass)
- Los Angeles Chargers — A. Gates (P. Rivers pass)
- Dallas Cowboys — P. Crayton (T. Romo pass)
Field goals
- Dallas Cowboys — N. Folk
- Los Angeles Chargers — N. Kaeding
- Los Angeles Chargers — N. Kaeding
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: Los Angeles Chargers won the period 7–3. Dallas Cowboys connected on a field goal from the LAC 13 (Q1 53:38) — (8:38) (Field Goal formation) 6-N.Folk 31 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-9-T.Romo.; Los Angeles Chargers found the end zone from the DAL 1 (Q1 49:34); Los Angeles Chargers added 1 points from the DAL 2 (Q1 49:30) — 10-N.Kaeding extra point is GOOD, Center-50-D.Binn, Holder-5-M.Scifres..
The second quarter: Los Angeles Chargers won the period 3–0. Los Angeles Chargers connected on a field goal from the DAL 11 (Q2 41:05) — (11:05) (Field Goal formation) 10-N.Kaeding 29 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-50-D.Binn, Holder-5-M.Scifres..
The third quarter: Dallas Cowboys won the period 7–0. Dallas Cowboys found the end zone from the LAC 6 (Q3 15:01) — (:01) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass short middle to 19-M.Austin for 6 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Dallas Cowboys added 1 points from the LAC 2 (Q3 15:00) — 6-N.Folk extra point is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-9-T.Romo..
The fourth quarter: Los Angeles Chargers won the period 10–7. Los Angeles Chargers found the end zone from the DAL 14 (Q4 11:02) — (11:02) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short left to 85-A.Gates for 14 yards, TOUCHDOWN [93-A.Spencer].; Los Angeles Chargers added 1 points from the DAL 2 (Q4 10:56) — 10-N.Kaeding extra point is GOOD, Center-50-D.Binn, Holder-5-M.Scifres.; Los Angeles Chargers connected on a field goal from the DAL 16 (Q4 2:00) — (2:00) (Field Goal formation) 10-N.Kaeding 34 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-50-D.Binn, Holder-5-M.Scifres.; Dallas Cowboys found the end zone from the LAC 9 (Q4 0:07) — (:07) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass short middle to 84-P.Crayton for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Dallas Cowboys added 1 points from the LAC 2 (Q4 0:02) — 6-N.Folk extra point is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-9-T.Romo..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Los Angeles Chargers (Q4 11:28) — (11:28) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass deep left to 83-V.Jackson to DAL 14 for 39 yards (43-G.Sensabaugh). Pass complete on sideline fly pattern.
- Los Angeles Chargers (Q4 11:02) — (11:02) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short left to 85-A.Gates for 14 yards, TOUCHDOWN [93-A.Spencer].
- Dallas Cowboys (Q3 15:01) — (:01) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass short middle to 19-M.Austin for 6 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Dallas Cowboys (Q1 55:59) — (10:59) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass deep right to 11-R.Williams to LAC 16 for 19 yards (28-S.Gregory). Pass complete at the sideline.
- Los Angeles Chargers (Q1 46:11) — (1:11) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass deep left to 83-V.Jackson to DAL 40 for 33 yards (21-M.Jenkins). Pass complete on fly pattern.
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Los Angeles Chargers (Q4 11:28) — (11:28) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass deep left to 83-V.Jackson to DAL 14 for 39 yards (43-G.Sensabaugh). Pass complete on sideline fly pattern.
- Dallas Cowboys (Q4 0:07) — (:07) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass short middle to 84-P.Crayton for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Los Angeles Chargers (Q1 50:18) — (5:18) 17-P.Rivers pass incomplete deep left to 80-M.Floyd. Wildcat formation: snap to Tomlinson, end around pitch to V.Jackson, then pitch back to Rivers. PENALTY on DAL-43-G.Sensabaugh, Defensive Pa
- Dallas Cowboys (Q2 32:23) — (2:23) 24-M.Barber right guard to LAC 1 for no gain (51-T.Dobbins; 59-B.Siler).
Quarterback report card
P.Rivers led all passers in efficiency for Los Angeles Chargers, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- P.Rivers (Los Angeles Chargers) · 34 dropbacks · 61.8% completion · +8.7% CPOE · +0.49 EPA/play · +16.56 total EPA
- T.Romo (Dallas Cowboys) · 32 dropbacks · 59.4% completion · -1.1% CPOE · +0.29 EPA/play · +9.28 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Los Angeles Chargers | Dallas Cowboys |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | +0.165 | +0.092 |
| Offensive success rate | 46.3% | 54.7% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.487 | +0.290 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.103 | -0.033 |
| Defensive EPA/play | -0.092 | -0.165 |
| Defensive success rate | 45.3% | 53.7% |
By the numbers
Despite the final score, Los Angeles Chargers generated the better offensive EPA per play (+0.17 vs +0.09), suggesting they moved the ball more efficiently.
- Dallas Cowboys: 9 drives, +6.92 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
- Los Angeles Chargers: 9 drives, +13.50 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Los Angeles Chargers leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- P. Rivers (Los Angeles Chargers) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- P. Rivers (LAC) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Dallas Cowboys FG (+3) — Q1 53:38 · LAC 13 · Score 0-3
(8:38) (Field Goal formation) 6-N.Folk 31 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-9-T.Romo. - Los Angeles Chargers TD (+6) — Q1 49:34 · DAL 1 · Score 6-3
(4:34) 21-L.Tomlinson right guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. The TD gives Tomlinson his ninth straight season with 10 or more rushing TDs, an NFL record. The TD is - Los Angeles Chargers XP (+1) — Q1 49:30 · DAL 2 · Score 7-3
10-N.Kaeding extra point is GOOD, Center-50-D.Binn, Holder-5-M.Scifres. - Los Angeles Chargers FG (+3) — Q2 41:05 · DAL 11 · Score 10-3
(11:05) (Field Goal formation) 10-N.Kaeding 29 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-50-D.Binn, Holder-5-M.Scifres. - Dallas Cowboys TD (+6) — Q3 15:01 · LAC 6 · Score 10-9
(:01) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass short middle to 19-M.Austin for 6 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Dallas Cowboys XP (+1) — Q3 15:00 · LAC 2 · Score 10-10
6-N.Folk extra point is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-9-T.Romo. - Los Angeles Chargers TD (+6) — Q4 11:02 · DAL 14 · Score 16-10
(11:02) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short left to 85-A.Gates for 14 yards, TOUCHDOWN [93-A.Spencer]. - Los Angeles Chargers XP (+1) — Q4 10:56 · DAL 2 · Score 17-10
10-N.Kaeding extra point is GOOD, Center-50-D.Binn, Holder-5-M.Scifres. - Los Angeles Chargers FG (+3) — Q4 2:00 · DAL 16 · Score 20-10
(2:00) (Field Goal formation) 10-N.Kaeding 34 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-50-D.Binn, Holder-5-M.Scifres. - Dallas Cowboys TD (+6) — Q4 0:07 · LAC 9 · Score 20-16
(:07) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass short middle to 84-P.Crayton for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Dallas Cowboys XP (+1) — Q4 0:02 · LAC 2 · Score 20-17
6-N.Folk extra point is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-9-T.Romo.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Los Angeles Chargers vs Dallas Cowboys?
The Los Angeles Chargers beat the Dallas Cowboys 20-17 in Week 14, 2009 on 2009-12-13.
What was the final score of Los Angeles Chargers vs Dallas Cowboys?
The final score was Los Angeles Chargers 20, Dallas Cowboys 17 (LAC 20-17 DAL) in Week 14, 2009 on 2009-12-13.
What was the score by quarter in Los Angeles Chargers vs Dallas Cowboys?
Q1: Los Angeles Chargers 7, Dallas Cowboys 3; Q2: Los Angeles Chargers 3, Dallas Cowboys 0; Q3: Los Angeles Chargers 0, Dallas Cowboys 7; Q4: Los Angeles Chargers 10, Dallas Cowboys 7; Final: Los Angeles Chargers 20, Dallas Cowboys 17.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Los Angeles Chargers vs Dallas Cowboys?
Los Angeles Chargers touchdown — L. Tomlinson (Q1 49:34) Dallas Cowboys touchdown — M. Austin (T. Romo pass) (Q3 15:01) Los Angeles Chargers touchdown — A. Gates (P. Rivers pass) (Q4 11:02) Dallas Cowboys touchdown — P. Crayton (T. Romo pass) (Q4 0:07) Dallas Cowboys field goal — N. Folk (Q1 53:38, 3 pts) Los Angeles Chargers field goal — N. Kaeding (Q2 41:05, 3 pts) Los Angeles Chargers field goal — N. Kaeding (Q4 2:00, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Los Angeles Chargers vs Dallas Cowboys?
P. Rivers (Los Angeles Chargers), 61.8% completion, +8.7% CPOE, +0.49 EPA per dropback, +16.56 total passing EPA. T. Romo (Dallas Cowboys), 59.4% completion, -1.1% CPOE, +0.29 EPA per dropback, +9.28 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Los Angeles Chargers vs Dallas Cowboys?
P. Rivers (Los Angeles Chargers) led the game in total EPA with +16.56 on passing plays. across 34 snaps. The top single-play swing was (+4.22 EPA): (11:28) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass deep left to 83-V.Jackson to DAL 14 for 39 yards (43-G.Sensabaugh). Pass complete on sideline fly pattern.. The biggest win-probability swing was +20.3%.
Was Los Angeles Chargers vs Dallas Cowboys a close game?
Yes — the margin was 3 points. Los Angeles Chargers won 20-17 in a game that came down to the wire.
Season records after this game
Los Angeles Chargers
Entered 9-3 Now 10-3 W
Dallas Cowboys
Entered 8-4 Now 8-5 L
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