BOLTING TO GOAL LINE

Chargers on verge of playoff berth as push continues with romp over Cowboys

- SAM FARMER

OMARION HAMPTON rushed for 85 yards and a score in the 34-17 win at Dallas, stepping up after fellow running back Kimani Vidal got hurt.

(JULIO CORTEZ Associated Press)

The Chargers are under the radar and over the moon.

They are methodically compiling victories — the latest, Sunday's 34-17 thumping of the Dallas Cowboys - and perfectly content on the fringes of the national spotlight.

Lots of people wrote them off when those offensive linemen started falling like tall timber, yet the Chargers have found ways to win in spite of that. Seven times in eight games they have walked away victorious, keeping them in the running for the top seed in the AFC.

"We're not worried about the outside noise," said edge rusher Khalil Mack, part of a defense that has pitched second-half shutouts two weeks in a row. "Not getting too high, not getting too low. Staying even-keeled and trying to stack wins."

Despite all that success, the Chargers (11-4) had yet to cement a spot in the postseason by the time they boarded the bus from AT&T Stadium to the airport. They needed a loss or tie by Houston — which beat Las Vegas later Sunday — or by Indianapolis, playing host to San Francisco on Monday night.

As for the Cowboys (6-8-1), they were eliminated from playoff contention the week before. They were playing for pride and had the NFL's No. 1 offense, which showed up with Dak Prescott touchdown passes in the first two quarters.

But the quarterback of note in this game was Justin Herbert, who threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns and plunged across the goal line for another score.