'Good weekend' for Cowboys: Dallas survives 'must-win' game after losses by 49ers, Eagles

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The importance of Monday night’s game between the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Chargers was palpable.

The Cowboys were embarrassed by the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5, while the Chargers, coming off a bye week, were attempting to get above .500 for the first time this season with a matchup against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7 looming.

The urgency was evident even before kickoff with a pregame skirmish breaking out along the visiting sideline. Fists were thrown and there was plenty of shoving.

In the end it was the Cowboys who escaped with a gritty 20-17 victory by surviving a wild fourth quarter that included a touchdown by each team, a muffed punt by Dallas, a tiebreaking field goal by kicker Brandon Aubrey and a game-sealing interception by cornerback Stephen Gilmore.

"It was huge for us to get to 4-2, no doubt about it," said Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, who had just come off his most lopsided defeat as a Cowboys starter in Week 5. "We are moving forward and running our race, honestly. You got to show it week in and week out in this league. Look back this past weekend and obviously that shows you that."

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The word "resilient" was uttered multiple times in the postgame visiting locker room as the Cowboys bounced back from being humiliated just eight days ago in the same state. The Cowboys now head into their bye week 4-2 and with a positive psyche.

"It was very crucial. Making sure we came out with the focus and intensity that we had all week," Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence said. "Also, leading into the bye you don’t want to have a sour taste in your mouth going into the bye. We came out here and got our jobs done but we have a lot to learn and get better from."

Monday’s win should give the Cowboys a renewed jolt of optimism aided by the stunning Week 6 defeats by the 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles, two teams Dallas is measured up to and will likely have to go through in its quest for NFC supremacy.

"It’s a good weekend," Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said with a smile when asked about the surprising losses by the 49ers and Eagles. "Crazy weekend in the NFL, but we were on the right side of this week."

It was a good bounce-back week for the Cowboys. The franchise hasn’t lost back-to-back regular-season games since Week 11 and 12 of the 2021 season, they avoided going 0-2 in California and can now reset heading into the bye just one game behind the Eagles, 49ers and Detroit Lions for the best record in the conference with plenty of football left to play.

"It was a must-win. It was early in the season, but 4-2 and 3-3, it's a huge difference," Prescott said. "Going into the bye week, we talked about, after last week, not allowing this thing to landslide. Obviously, I think a win like this allows you to really close that book.

"When you get this win like we did, you definitely can move on. Now, we'll move forward from this one."

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.