The Cowboys faced the Rams last year in the first game ever played at SoFi Stadium. Due to the pandemic, no fans were present.
On Sunday, they play the Chargers there. Linebacker Jaylon Smith expects to see plenty of Cowboys fans in the stands.
Via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, Smith said Thursday that he expects an “electric” atmosphere for what will be the Chargers’ first home game with fans present in the venue.
“America’s Team, we have fans globally and especially in L.A.,” Smith said. “So we’re looking forward to having our fans out and doing whatever it takes to get a victory.”
It will be interesting to see the ratio of Cowboys to Chargers fans. During their temporary stint at a 30,000-seat soccer stadium in Carson, Chargers fans routinely were outnumbered by fans of the visiting team.
The presence of quarterback Justin Herbert and a general vibe that the team is on the rise could help, but the Cowboys definitely have a solid presence in Southern California. With the market empty for 20 years and with the Cowboys visiting annually (except for last year) for training camp, it could look, feel, and sound like a home game for the Cowboys.