Locked On Cowboys – Episode Summary

Episode Title: SURPRISE FAVORITES: Why the Dallas Cowboys Are PICKED Over Chargers & What Fans Should WATCH!
Date: December 19, 2025
Hosts: Marcus Mosher & Landon McCool

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the Dallas Cowboys being surprisingly favored by 2.5 points against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 16, despite Dallas coming off a rough patch and the Chargers vying for the AFC's top seed. Marcus and Landon break down why Vegas might see things this way, what’s at stake for Dallas—even with playoff hopes all but gone—and what fans should keep their eyes on as the team shifts into an evaluation and development mode down the stretch.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Vegas Odds: Cowboys as 2.5-point Favorites

• Surprise at the Betting Line

  • Both Marcus and Landon express confusion over the Cowboys' status as favorites.
  • Marcus: “The Cowboys are two and a half point favorites over the Chargers… that's strange. We'll tell you why that line maybe doesn't make sense next.” (01:11)
  • Landon finds the line easy to bet against: “It's funny… that the Cowboys be favorites.” (02:24)

• Possible Reasons for the Line

  • Chargers have a tough upcoming schedule (potential letdown game).
  • Chargers banged up on the offensive line, Justin Herbert injured.
  • Chargers haven’t played many noon CT kickoffs.
  • The line hasn’t shifted despite Duron Bland’s injury, suggesting the news was baked-in or that defensive backs don’t move lines much (04:24).

• Opposing Team Circumstances

  • Chargers “absolutely need to win this game” for playoff seeding; Cowboys’ last true test before two likely meaningless NFC East matchups.
  • Soft tanking is hinted at for the Cowboys, with Bland out, Guyton not rushed back, CeeDee Lamb missing practices (03:03).

2. Cowboys’ Late Season Strategy: “Soft Tanking” and Evaluation

• Resting Banged-Up Players, Playing Youth

  • Not full-on “tanking”, but a clear shift to protecting stars and evaluating depth.
  • Landon: “You insulate some of your more injured guys… and you give opportunities to guys who… need these snaps” (06:14)
  • Marcus: “You're not trying to purposely lose the game, but you're shifting maybe how you're game planning…” (06:46)

• Value of Playing Younger Guys

  • Motivates both the youth and the veterans: “It’s insulating yourself from guys tanking… these guys aren't going to quit. They need these opportunities to shine.” – Landon (07:13)
  • Opportunity for players like Josh Butler, Ryan Flournoy (offense), Bik Davis, Perryon Winfrey (defense).

3. What to Watch: Young Players’ Growth and Physical Challenges

• Offensive Line Physicality

  • Focus on swing tackle Nate Thomas after recent struggles: “Can he bounce back…against a really good pass rush?” – Marcus (08:00)
  • Chargers’ defense is extremely physical; Cowboys need to “stand up to a bully a little bit” (08:51), something they failed at vs. Detroit.

• Development of Offensive Playmakers

  • Calls to feature Ryan Flournoy and Bik Davis more to evaluate their RB2 and WR potential.
  • Hopes for George Pickens to rebound “against a really good Charger secondary” (10:24).

4. Defense Without Duron Bland

• Bland’s Season Over

  • Out with foot injury, likely surgery; season officially ended (14:09).
  • “It’s just another situation where this foot injury has taken another player…for way longer than they expected.” – Landon (14:09)
  • Marcus hopes Bland will fully recover and return to his level after an up-and-down, injury-marred season.

• Implications for Other Defensive Backs

  • More snaps for Savon Revel, Kaylin Carson, possibly Josh Butler (15:26).
  • Debate on Trayvon Diggs’ potential return: both doubt he’ll play again for Dallas unless there’s an injury crisis, but Marcus hedges with “I don't think we can completely rule it out…” depending on future coaching moves (16:43).

• Culture and Coaching Impact

  • Possible rift between Diggs and coaching staff, especially Brian Schottenheimer, rather than the Jones family (ownership) (17:49).

5. Defensive Matchups to Exploit

• Cowboys’ D-Line vs. Chargers’ Weak OL

  • Cowboys poised to possibly dominate up front: “This is a matchup where the Cowboys defensive line has to win.” – Marcus (20:45)
  • Chargers’ OL graded poorly across the board per PFF; expectation for defensive standouts like Ezraku, Perryon Winfrey to shine.

• Offensive Skill Players to Defend

  • Concern about Chargers’ array of skill-position talent (Keenan Allen, McConkey, Trey Harris, Quentin Johnston), but OL weakness is overriding factor.

• Testing Depth at LB

  • Marcus would like to see youth at linebacker, naming DeMarvion Overshown, Shamar James, and Marist Liufau get the snaps over veterans (22:38)
  • “Let the three young kids go out there and play.” – Marcus

6. Predictions and What’s at Stake

• How Will Dallas Respond?
  • Landon: For Dallas to win, they must “find some efficiency in the run game… and then on the defensive side, they just have to get after Herbert” (25:10)
  • Cowboys match up well on paper, but execution is the problem lately.
  • Marcus: “I think the Chargers are going to win. …If they come out and they lay an egg and the effort's really bad and they just look disinterested, I don't think that's a great sign for the long term health of this team. …I expect them to come out and play hard.” (27:02)
  • Both agree the focus is now just as much on effort, culture, and developmental progress as the final score: “If they do, I do think the Cowboys are the more talented team…but right now it’s hard to have faith in that because they haven’t done that in the last few weeks.” – Landon (28:07)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the Betting Line:

“The math doesn't quite math there. …I feel like this is an easy line I would probably bet against the Cowboys.” — Landon McCool (02:24)

“Chargers absolutely need to win this game...it's a really rough spot for the Chargers. But…the Cowboys aren't tanking and I do want them to win this game…but this feels very much like...we’re starting to see some of the soft tanking elements.” — Marcus Mosher (03:03)

On Young Player Motivation:

“When you play those types of guys…you’re galvanizing the team to want to play better for these younger guys that are getting opportunities.” – Landon (07:13)

On Physicality:

“I would like to see the Cowboys kind of match their physicality in this game…show that, hey, they can win a game that’s, you know, going to be a little bit of a rock fight.” – Marcus (08:51)

On Trayvon Diggs’ Future:

“If I'm Diggs, I'm on a good contract. Nobody else is going to pay me anything similar…maybe you don't try to burn every bridge before the 2026 season.” — Marcus (16:43)

“The reason I don't think that he's going to be back is because…Schottenheimer is going to be back next year…with the kind of culture change that Schottenheimer is trying to enact in the team, maybe the way that Diggs has acted…he cannot just tolerate one of his high profile players defying them over and over again…” — Landon (18:10)

On Defensive Matchups:

“It's our defensive strength on their weakness and their offensive strength on our defensive weakness…They’ve got a lot of guys who can exploit the coverage…The Cowboys, if they want to win on defense…they got to win up front.” — Landon (21:39)

On the Stakes:

“I would argue that they have a lot to lose…if they came out and quit on this, I think it would say a lot about this [team]. …There’s a high chance the Cowboys…do what they need to get it done. …But right now it’s hard to have faith in that.” — Landon (28:07)

Important Timestamps

• [01:11] — Podcast begins; discussion of Cowboys charged as favorites
• [03:03] — Cowboys "soft tanking," injuries, why this game is meaningful for player evaluation
• [06:14] — Landon on the actual value and intent behind playing depth and development
• [08:00] — Key young players to watch on offense; physical challenge
• [10:24] — George Pickens and WR group needing to step up vs. strong Chargers secondary
• [14:09] — Bland's injury and outlook for him and defensive depth
• [16:43] — Diggs’ future in Dallas—could he return?
• [20:45] — Cowboys D-line vs. Chargers O-line: must-win front-seven matchup
• [25:10] — Offensive/Defensive game plan keys & Landon's path to victory
• [27:02] — Marcus’ prediction: Chargers favored, but watch the Cowboys’ effort level
• [28:07] — What the final three games mean for the team’s future and the coaching staff

Summary Tone & Style

The co-host dynamic is natural and conversational, with a mix of honest skepticism, fan-rooted optimism, and thoughtful, nuanced analysis. Marcus leans toward pragmatism and future-planning; Landon offers context and coaching insights. Both maintain a sense of humor and candor as they discuss what’s left to watch for as the Cowboys close out a disappointing, but developmental, campaign.

Bottom Line:
This episode dissects why Vegas is bullish on Dallas, the shift toward player evaluation mode, how the young corps and coaching staff can prove something down the stretch, and which individual storylines are worth tracking through the final weeks. The emphasis: It’s all about effort, culture, and hope for 2026—even if the playoffs are out of reach.