Chargers vs Cowboys Pick & Prediction

NFL week 14 Sunday, Dec. 13 - 4:15 p.m. Eastern - CBS San Diego Chargers (9-3) at Dallas Cowboys (8-4)

San Diego is putting together another strong finish to the NFL season. Dallas, meanwhile, is hoping that facing a red-hot Chargers team Sunday at Cowboys Stadium won't trigger yet another late-season meltdown.

CBS is scheduled to televise the Chargers-Cowboys game, beginning at 4:15 p.m. Eastern.

San Diego will carry a seven-game win streak into the Chargers-Cowboys game, which has allowed San Diego to take the lead in the AFC West Division race. Even more impressive, only one of San Diego's wins during the streak has been by fewer than seven points. Last season, the Chargers finished the season with a flourish, winning their final four games and clinching a playoff berth on the final day of the regular season, then upsetting Indianapolis in the first round.

This season, the Chargers are 9-3, one game ahead of 8-4 Denver in the AFC West.

The Cowboys, meanwhile, are in the thick of the playoff race in the NFC East Division, but they suffered a costly 31-24 loss at the New York Giants last Sunday. Before the loss to the Giants, Dallas had won six of its previous seven games. The Cowboys are hoping they aren't headed for a repeat of their finish to the 2008 season, when they lost three of their last four games -- including a 44-6 loss at Philadelphia with a playoff berth on the line in the final game of the season.

Dallas and Philadelphia are tied for first in the NFC East at 8-4, one game ahead of the 7-5 Giants.

The Chargers and Cowboys have several common opponents this season. San Diego is 7-1 against the common opponents, while Dallas is 3-3.

--Denver: The Chargers split two games with Denver, winning 32-3 and losing 34-23; the Cowboys lost at Denver, 17-10.

--Kansas City: The Chargers are 2-0 against Kansas City, winning 37-7 and 43-14; the Cowboys won at Kansas City, 26-20 in overtime.

--New York Giants: The Chargers won at New York, 21-20; the Cowboys are 0-2 against the Giants, losing 33-31 and 31-24.

--Oakland: The Chargers are 2-0 against Oakland, winning 24-20 and 24-16; the Cowboys defeated Oakland, 24-7.

--Philadelphia: The Chargers defeated Philadelphia, 31-23; the Cowboys won at Philadelphia, 20-16.

San Diego is 6-6 ATS this season, but the Chargers have won four of their last five games ATS. San Diego also has won three of its past four road games ATS.

Dallas is also 6-6 ATS this season, but the Cowboys have lost three of their last four games ATS. At home, however, the Cowboys have won four of their last five games ATS.

The Chargers and Cowboys last met Sept. 11, 2005, when Dallas won at San Diego, 28-24, despite being a 4.5-point underdog.