The Dallas Cowboys defense is likely to be highly motivated come Monday night.
Dallas relinquished a season-high 421 yards of offense to the San Francisco 49ers in a 42-10 loss that saw the Cowboys allow more points than they had in their previous four games combined.
In Week 6, the Cowboys defense will face a Los Angeles Chargers offense helmed by former Dallas offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse believes emotions and motivation will be at a high.
“I’m pretty sure he wants to go out there and put it on us,” Kearse said of Moore, via the team website’s Patrik Walker. “But you’ve gotta put in perspective what we just went through on Sunday, and how we’re champing at the bit to get out there and have our next game on the road. We want to go out there and get the [bad] taste out of our mouth. I’m pretty sure he’s champing at it, but we’re champing at it as well.”
Kearse predicts there will inevitably be considerable excitement, which is fitting for a Monday night when various narratives will reach a climax.
Moore, a past quarterback for the Cowboys and currently only 34, served as the Dallas offensive coordinator from 2019 to 2022. His Cowboys offense topped the NFL in yards in 2019 and 2021. The previous season, Dallas ranked 11th in yards and fourth in points. Despite these achievements, Moore’s contract was not extended following a Divisional Round defeat to the tough Niners.
He is now with Los Angeles, home to the NFL’s fifth-ranked offense in terms of yards gained. Meanwhile, head coach Mike McCarthy is directing a Dallas offense that performed poorly against San Francisco, achieving only eight first downs and 197 yards.
Kearse is focused on putting the Week 5 loss behind him and shifting his attention towards stopping the Chargers.
“They defeated us,” he stated. “They crushed us significantly, but that’s just one match and we’re moving on to the next.”
And Kearse isn’t about to let a sorry showing in Northern California lead to another one in Southern California. He’s aware of the tall task ahead in facing Moore and the Justin Herbert-led Bolts O. He expects a much different performance, though.
“Kearse acknowledged the team’s strengths, stating, “It’s a formidable team equipped with numerous strong weapons.” He mentioned Kellen’s role and their familiarity with his strategies. “They’re a solid team, boasting talented receivers, quality tight ends, and a promising young quarterback in Herbert, who has a great throwing ability,” Kearse added.
After a bye week and a two-game winning streak, Los Angeles is well-prepared for their upcoming match. The Chargers have had plenty of time to strategize, and Moore has undoubtedly been preparing for his first coaching opportunity against the Cowboys. While Moore is motivated, Kearse and his ‘Boys are equally driven.
“Kearse said, ‘We had an all-time poor performance for our defense out there on Sunday. We are prepared to go out there and compete against anyone else as well.'”
