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Boxing buffs will tell you that the best fights pit rivals with different styles. Matchups of two heavy punchers frequently produce quick, bloody bouts. Two boxers can shadow each other round after round, producing too few flurries.

Saturday’s Chargers - Cowboys game presented two contrasting styles. Norv Turner’s offense worked the old ’90s Cowboys playbook. He ran the quick slants, the deep 18 yard in, the quick outs and a blizzard of quick screens to all his backs, all the time shuffling in off-tackle runs and tosses to new running back toy Ryan Mathews, who looks like a more than able replacement for LaDainian Tomlinson.

Quarterback Philip Rivers was his accurate, quick self, frustrating a decent Dallas rush with last instant releases that converted 3rd down plays and kept his Chargers offense on the field.

The Cowboys were able to withstand the steady barrage of jabs because their defense landed two haymakers, which knocked out two long Chargers drives. Terence Newman scored the first knockdown when he intercepted Rivers on the Dallas eleven. Late in the half, Bradie James stopped a 13 play Chargers drive when he literally punched the ball from running back Darren Sproles‘ grasp. Backup strong safety Barry Church picked up the fumble and meandered his way up the Cowboys sideline, before Rivers tackled him at the San Diego 8.

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