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SAN DIEGO – The outcome didn’t favor San Diego. Much of the outlook did.

Aside from a pair of turnovers, the Chargers starters asserted their will during the first half against most of the players that led Dallas to the NFC playoffs last year.

Dallas scored nine fourth-quarter points for a 16-14 comeback win Saturday but failed to accomplish much against San Diego’s starting units. The Chargers outgained the Cowboys 205-49 during the first half, generated 14 first downs to Dallas’ three and held possession for 23:26.

“I can’t be more excited about the things our players are doing. The physicalness, the attitude and the way they came out and played in the first half,” Head Coach Norv Turner said. “We blocked the run exceptionally well. We protected the quarterback. I can’t say enough about the way our defensive front is playing.”

Two turnovers, a fumble that set up the lone Dallas touchdown and a red zone interception that ended a promising opening drive, kept the game tied at halftime despite San Diego’s statistical dominance.

“We outplayed them big time,” Eric Weddle said. “We outplayed them physically. We came into this game knowing it was going to be a test and we took it as that. There were definitely a couple things we could shore up, but … we played well and hopefully we can build off of it.”

Each team scored following offensive gaffes. Terrance Newman cut short what started as a physically imposing drive for San Diego with an interception deep in Dallas territory, but Weddle returned the favor a few plays later. Stephen Cooper’s blitz up the middle may have influenced a Tony Romo throw that floated into Weddle’s hands near midfield. Cooper smacked Romo in the chest just as he released the ball.

After converting a fourth-and-4, Philip Rivers hammered into the end zone from the 1-yard line with :56 left in the first quarter. Ryan Mathews gained 33 of the 40 yards on the touchdown drive.

But the second of four San Diego turnovers led to a Dallas touchdown. Strong safety Barry Church returned a fumble to the San Diego 8-yard line and Tony Romo found Miles Austin for a 9-yard touchdown on third-and-goal.

“We can’t turn the football over. We had two critical turnovers in the red zone that made the game a close game,” Turner said. “We can fix those things and those are things that we’ve done awfully well. When you’re not physical and you can’t run the ball, those things are hard to fix.”

The first defense flexed its might in the middle of the field, picking up what they started against Chicago last week and pressuring Romo up the middle with Cooper and Kevin Burnett.

Burnett, playing against his former team, aided a Romo incompletion on one play and plugged running back Felix Jones’ intended gap on the next play to force a punt. James Holt even broke up a pass across the middle on the opening drive of the second half.

“It looks like it,” Burnett said when asked if the Chargers have gotten good pressure in the quarterback’s field of vision. “Whenever people talk about it, you must be doing something good.”

Opposing running backs continue to struggle. Dallas missed two starters along the offensive line but San Diego held Marion Barber and Felix Jones to six carries for 17 yards a game after limiting the Bears to 2.3 yards per carry.

Starting receiver Malcom Floyd made his first three receptions of the preseason, converting a third down and later giving San Diego some breathing room with a 13-yard catch across the middle.

“It’s something we do in practice and it carries over into the game,” Floyd said.

The Chargers took a 14-7 lead during the third quarter.

Seyi Ajirotutu provided the punch that Marcus Mason followed with a 4-yard touchdown jab. Ajirotutu slipped behind coverage for a 56-yard reception from Volek in the third quarter as the Chargers assumed a lead two plays later.

Dallas linebacker Victor Butler stripped Jonathan Crompton from behind with 3:46 left as Ryan Otterson pounced on the fumble for a safety, giving the Cowboys a 16-14 win.