The Dallas Cowboys won on Monday night. Winning is a wonderful emotion. It marked the first Cowboys win in some time (the previous instance was the one against the Washington Commanders), and despite everything that has happened since, you can’t help but mention the p-word. Playoffs. The Cowboys have a lot of ground to make […] The Dallas Cowboys won on Monday night. Winning is a wonderful emotion. It marked the first Cowboys win in some time (the previous instance was the one against the Washington Commanders), and despite everything that has happened since, you can’t help but mention the p-word. Playoffs. The Cowboys have a lot of ground to make up for a potential NFC Wild Card spot, they are 4-5-1 and the current last spot is held by the 7-4 San Francisco 49ers, but there are still seven games left on the season. As people love to say, anything is possible. Do you believe? Are you even willing to let yourself start to on any level? We have all given the Cowboys our hearts at many turns in the past and been burned as a result, but maybe you are willing to let your hair down and go with the proverbial flow. Let us know in the comments below. See More: Dallas Cowboys Roster
Cowboys news: Damone Clark released; Perrion Winfrey returns
Dallas Cowboys waive LB Damone Clark, activate DT Perrion Winfrey – Emma Moon, Dallas Morning News The Dallas Cowboys said goodbye to one of their veteran linebackers in favor of help at defensive tackle. The Dallas Cowboys waived linebacker Damone Clark and activated defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey, head coach Brian Schottenheimer confirmed on Tuesday during a news conference. The […] Dallas Cowboys waive LB Damone Clark, activate DT Perrion Winfrey – Emma Moon, Dallas Morning News The Dallas Cowboys said goodbye to one of their veteran linebackers in favor of help at defensive tackle. The Dallas Cowboys waived linebacker Damone Clark and activated defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey, head coach Brian Schottenheimer confirmed on Tuesday during a news conference. The Cowboys officially announced their latest roster moves Tuesday evening. Center Wesley French was also released from the practice squad. The Cowboys drafted Clark in the fifth round of the 2022 draft after four years at LSU. In 2021, the then-senior started all 13 games and led the SEC in tackles. Clark was inactive Monday night in the Cowboys’ 33-16 win over the Raiders. In his eight appearances this season, Clark had 14 total tackles and seven solo tackles. Since 2022, Clark has contributed 198 tackles, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. A well-written article detailing how Dallas persevered through tragedy to get a win on Monday Night Football. “We’ve got a hell of a road ahead of us,” Prescott said. “And I think that’s the best part of it — we ain’t got no bulls— ahead, where we can lose focus. Like, hell no, we can’t lose focus — not for a second, not for a day, not for a moment of the training. “S—, we want to make the playoffs? We got to go beat some playoff teams. And it’s not ‘one game at a time.’ We don’t have that luxury. We’ve got to think of the whole thing. We have to go on a run. And we’re going to do it together.” In taking apart the Raiders (2-8), one of the NFL’s most feeble bottom-feeders, the Cowboys, for the first time in 2025, resembled their superlative selves. Prescott (25-of-33, 268 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions) zipped pinpoint passes to prolific wide receivers George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb, while a juiced-up defense limited the Raiders to 27 rushing yards and one fourth-quarter touchdown. It was a promising performance, but a potentially deceiving one: Over the next 17 days, Dallas, which still hasn’t beaten a team with a winning record, faces last year’s Super Bowl participants (the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs) and the team that had the NFC’s best regular-season record in 2024 (the Detroit Lions). Even the Cowboys’ biggest hype man, 83-year-old owner Jerry Jones, conceded after Monday’s game that a playoff run might be a bit ambitious. “It’s probably a little late in the game,” he told The Athletic. “But if not this season, our future is looking brighter.” Shavon Revel Jr. recaps ‘exciting’ NFL, Cowboys debut – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com Despite missing the entire offseason with his injury from college, Shavon Revel Jr looked solid in his debut. “It was very exciting,” Revel said. “Leading in to it, I had butterflies. Leading in to it though. I got in the locker room, I walked around the field before the game, just to kind of get the feel of the atmosphere. Came back to the locker room, listened to some music, you know, the music that gets you bumping, gets you focused and gets you ready to go out there and play.” What got him bumping ahead of his first football game in 429 days was “Till I Collapse” by Eminem, along with a natural confidence in himself that stems from the belief his family has in him. “I know what I can do,” Revel said. “I went and did my best and didn’t listen to the noise, believed in myself, my family, they had trust in me, had support from them all the way to here. I kind off fed into that and it brought me to today.” The Cowboys kept Revel on a pitch count in his first NFL game, playing him on 17 total snaps defensively. His first snap came on a third and long for the Raiders offense in the first half, a moment that left no room for nerves at that point. “The butterflies were left in the locker room,” Revel said. “They had a little package for me, so I wasn’t surprised when I had to get in the game, had to get my mind right, take a deep breath before I get out there in the game and get focused.” Not too long after, Revel corded his first career tackle in the NFL. It was contact that the young cornerback not only welcomed, but was seeking out. “It felt great, I needed that,” Revel said. “It either took me getting hit, or me hitting somebody for me to be like, ‘Okay, it’s time to lock in for real.’” Solomon Thomas took the day to continue his advocacy for mental health awareness. He called it a “conversation we don’t have often enough.” What we know: The Dallas Independent School District wants the topic of mental health to be a part of everyday conversations for its students. The district teamed up with the Dallas Cowboys to try to reach student athletes and leaders who are often well-connected in their schools. On Tuesday, Thomas spoke to a packed gymnasium at South Oak Cliff High School. He shared his own battle with grief and anxiety. Students also had a chance to ask him questions. Dig deeper: Thomas knows about the struggles of mental health first. His sister committed suicide when she was just 24 years old. She was the same age as fellow Dallas Cowboys player Marshawn Kneeland, who took his own life on Nov. 6. Thomas’ mother later founded a nonprofit to combat youth suicide. What they’re saying: “Coming here is definitely a little emotional.
10 thoughts on the Cowboys 33-16 Monday night win over the Raiders
All it took was a trip to Vegas and a little lady luck, and the Dallas Cowboys are back in the win column with a 33-16 victory over the Raiders on Monday night. While beating a struggling Raiders team isn’t hitting the jackpot, the Cowboys put some good football on display, and not just on […] All it took was a trip to Vegas and a little lady luck, and the Dallas Cowboys are back in the win column with a 33-16 victory over the Raiders on Monday night. While beating a struggling Raiders team isn’t hitting the jackpot, the Cowboys put some good football on display, and not just on the offensive side. The defense played well, too. It was just what we were hoping for after the team made some changes before the trade deadline. Here are 10 thoughts on this fun primetime win over the Raiders. 1. Better late than never The game started out weird when both of the Cowboys’ star receivers were seen standing on the sideline on the team’s first offensive possession. The offense ran three plays for six yards and then punted the ball away while the rest of us looked on in bewilderment. As it turned out, the reason CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens didn’t start was a coach’s decision. And while the details are still unclear, they did return, and returned with a vengeance. The dynamic duo collectively finished with over 200 yards receiving and they each had a touchdown. 2. Defense big stop After a three-and-out on the Cowboys’ first series, the offense did one worse and gave the ball away when Dak Prescott had the ball stripped away. This set the Raiders up 1st-and-10 at the Cowboys’ 15-yard line. Fortunately, the defense came up with a huge stop. Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark shot up the middle and sacked Geno Smith for a seven-yard loss. After a short five-yard gain and an incompletion, the Raiders had to settle for a 35-yard field goal. 3. The Q effect The team’s new prized defensive tackle wasted no time making his presence felt. The shared sack with Clark was just the beginning. Quinnen Williams had a fantastic debut with his new team. In fact, it’s hard to imagine it going any better than it did. The defense held rookie running back Ashton Jeanty to just seven yards rushing, the lowest of his career. Everyone was penetrating through the gaps, as the Cowboys had eight tackles for loss as a team. Williams had 1.5 sacks by halftime, which is more than he had during his eight games this season with the Jets. The defense was in Geno Smith’s face all game and finished with four sacks collectively. They even caught the Raiders for a safety in the fourth quarter when Jeanty couldn’t get out of the end zone. It was fun to watch. 4. The three DTs The Williams trade was just the latest move the Cowboys have made to beef up their interior defensive line. They traded for Kenny Clark right before the season started, and they extended Osa Odighizuwa back in March. Between these three moves, that’s quite the investment the front office has made at the defensive tackle position. Well, it’s just one game, but these three DTs looked very good together. Besides the dominance the defensive line had as a whole, the dynamic trio of Williams, Clark, and Odighizuwa each got into the stat sheet with a sack, and showed how effective they could be when they have some strength alongside each other. 5. Dak was dealing While the offense took a bit to get going, once they did, they looked quite impressive. Dak Prescott finished the game completing 75% of his passes for 268 yards, with four touchdowns and no interceptions. Each touchdown went to a different receiver (Lamb, Pickens, Jake Ferguson, and Ryan Flournoy). Not only was Prescott connecting with his targets, but many of his throws were beautifully placed, making it easy for his receivers to catch the passes in stride. It was a great showing by the Cowboys’ quarterback, especially after falling behind early from the sack/fumble. 6. No quit in Pickens The Lamb/Pickens duo was great, but it was Pickens who did the heavy lifting. He was the team’s leading receiver with nine catches for 144 yards and a touchdown. While the stats were impressive, how he got them was even more so. All night, Pickens turned small gains into bigger ones. He stiff-armed defenders and dragged them for extra yards. He constantly juked defenders, ran through them, and was just relentless after the catch. It was quite impressive. We all know about his wowing ballhawking ability, but he put on a clinic with his toughness on Monday night. 7. Getting off the field The Cowboys’ defense was great in this game, allowing the Raiders just 236 yards of total offense. Vegas didn’t score its only touchdown of the game until the fourth quarter. The best part about this effort is that in half of the Raiders’ 10 possessions, the Cowboys’ defense allowed 10 or fewer yards, including a drive of just one yard and two drives of -2 yards. We know the Raiders offense isn’t good, but the Cowboys defense was completely dominating them throughout half the game. That’s not something we’re used to seeing from the defense. Getting off the field and doing it quickly was a fun thing to witness. 8. Going on a run The offense of the Cowboys started slow, and then took the foot of the gas late, but in between they went on a nice run. In the second and third quarters, the Cowboys had four possessions, and each one of them they found the end zone. They went down as follows: Six plays, 68 yards, capped off with a Lamb 18-yard touchdown catch 12 plays, 79 yards, capped off with a Ferguson 5-yard touchdown catch Four plays, 69 yards, capped off with a Pickens 37-yard
Cowboys post-bye poise keeps ‘25 season alive with decisive win at Raiders
The Dallas Cowboys are back in the win column for the first time in over three calendar weeks, the majority of which were difficult and emotional for the now 4-5-1 team that snapped a two-game losing streak on Monday night in Las Vegas. The Cowboys beat the Raiders 33-16 in their first game since the […] The Dallas Cowboys are back in the win column for the first time in over three calendar weeks, the majority of which were difficult and emotional for the now 4-5-1 team that snapped a two-game losing streak on Monday night in Las Vegas. The Cowboys beat the Raiders 33-16 in their first game since the passing of Marshawn Kneeland, earning their first primetime win of 2025 in the process. The Cowboys needed this game in the worst way before entering a much tougher stretch of games, and emotionally played like a team that wasn’t going to drop a third straight to the two-win Raiders. Dallas playing off the bye looked poised and prepared for the better part of all 60 minutes in Las Vegas, even with their two top wide receivers not seeing the field on the opening drive which quickly ended in a Cowboys three and out. CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens would make the absolute best of their playing time from that point on, with both catching a touchdown. Defensively, the Cowboys looked sound on all three levels, with new players in the lineup on all three as well. Quinnen Williams debuted at defensive tackle and had 1.5 sacks and five QB hits. Demarvion Overshown played for the first time since week 14 of last season at linebacker. Rookie Shavon Revel and veteran Malik Hooker made plays on the backend from their cornerback and safety spots. This win alone does not put the Cowboys fully back in the NFC playoff picture, but in true Las Vegas fashion, they played their cards right to earn another hand at the table next week at home versus the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys finding the right mix of lineup changes and self-scouting points they could correct over the bye will carry over into this pivotal rematch with the Eagles, as they worked through a lot of them at the Raiders and stayed in control of the game nearly all night. Here are our full notes on a win for Brian Schottenheimer in a big spot against his former mentor Pete Carroll. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)Getty Images One of the questions that Cowboys fans were most eager to have answered in this game was how Matt Eberflus’ defense would look at linebacker. It’s no secret the Cowboys have struggled here, and with the amount of zone Eberflus is insistent on playing, poor play at linebacker paired with a lack of pass rush has been the biggest reason for constant defensive letdowns. In the recent losses to Denver and Arizona, Kenneth Murray and Shemar James were mostly the faces of the Cowboys deficiencies on the second level of their defense. The additions of both Overshown and the trade chip Logan Wilson from the Bengals was initially believed to be one way to spell both Murray and James, but that is not at all how things played out against the Raiders. Eberflus kept the true answer to this burning question left unanswered for at least another week, but at the same time provided an answer that worked. Much like the best part of having Quinnen Williams at defensive tackle is the fact he joins other talented players at the same position, the Cowboys leaned into their numbers at linebacker and used all of their active players at linebacker – even Marist Liufau who was seldom used on defense prior to Monday night. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)Getty Images The Cowboys stacked linebacker looks were a checkmate against a Chip Kelly game plan for the Raiders that called for 42 passes to just 12 runs, a ratio that was out of hand even before the Cowboys built a significant lead. With Las Vegas’ best pass catchers being their tight ends and not wide receivers, an advantage they felt they had matching Brock Bowers and their other TEs against the Cowboys linebackers did not at all play out like they would have hoped. Dallas having extra backers on the field made a massive difference in the way this defense looked dropping into their zones and picking up assignments. On the Raiders’ opening possession, Hooker was able to come in for a tackle for loss thanks to Liufau playing as the overhang and setting the edge. Liufau was also playing this position when Brock Bowers motioned inside against Murray later in the game, allowing Murray to quickly turn and pick up Bowers to deflect a pass intercepted by Markquese Bell. Two plays after the Hooker TFL, a blitz from Murray forced the ball out of Geno Smith’s hands short of the sticks on third down, where Overshown had the coverage. This forced a punt that bailed the Cowboys offense out of their own slow start, and even after the offense continued to struggle turning the ball over on Prescott’s fumble following this punt, their newest LB Wilson came up with the third down coverage to hold Las Vegas to a field goal. Kenny Clark also had a sack to push the Raiders back from the great starting field position they had, which became a theme of the night as the Raiders went just 1-3 in the red zone. The Cowboys were a Lamb wide open drop of a would-be touchdown away from a perfect 3-3 red zone game, instead finishing 2-3 and also seeing Brandon Aubrey drill a 50-yard field goal straight down the middle. It won’t take too long to find out if the Cowboys new approach in the front seven was truly about their opponent respecting what they’ve added at defensive tackle or not, as the NFC-leading Eagles, of all teams, will be the last to easily persuade
Cowboys playoff chances: Dallas has uphill battle, but hope nonetheless
The Dallas Cowboys were victorious on Monday night against the Las Vegas Raiders. It was “only” one win and was “just the Raiders”, but winning feels good and makes the sun shine a little bit brighter. Something that is often more visible as a result of that sunlight is the box where we keep discussions […] The Dallas Cowboys were victorious on Monday night against the Las Vegas Raiders. It was “only” one win and was “just the Raiders”, but winning feels good and makes the sun shine a little bit brighter. Something that is often more visible as a result of that sunlight is the box where we keep discussions about the playoffs. In times like these it feels less ridiculous to open it and poke around, but we can obviously do so with the context that the situation for Dallas is dire right now. Here is the state of the NFC Playoff Picture at the moment. Philadelphia Eagles (8-2) Los Angeles Rams (8-2) Chicago Bears (7-3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-4) Seattle Seahawks (7-3) Green Bay Packers (6-3-1) San Francisco 49ers (7-4) Detroit Lions (6-4) Carolina Panthers (6-5) Dallas Cowboys (4-5-1) Minnesota Vikings (4-6) We’ll cut it off there as the next team in question (the Arizona Cardinals who have lost seven of their last eight… you know the one they won) is below four wins. That feels fair and logical. In order for the Cowboys to reach the postseason they would either have to (just laying things out) win the NFC East or fill one of the three Wild Card spots that the NFC has to offer. Given that the Eagles have twice as many wins as the Cowboys right now, the division feels like an extreme long shot and in that sense is not really worth exploring. The most likely path to the playoffs for the Cowboys (based on the huge hypothetical of them reaching the postseason) is as a Wild Card. Understanding this we can see that right now the 49ers hold the final one and have a 7-4 record to Dallas’ 4-5-1 mark. Here are the remaining games for the Cowboys: Philadelphia Eagles (8-2) Kansas City Chiefs (5-5) at Detroit Lions (6-4) Minnesota Vikings (4-6) Los Angeles Chargers (7-4) at Washington Commanders (3-8) at New York Giants (2-9) Let’s say the Cowboys can get to nine wins on the season. This is admittedly very optimistic, but it is going to in all likelihood take at least nine wins for the playoffs to be a possibility. This scenario would involve the 49ers and/or Seahawks only winning two more times across the rest of the season. The same can be said for the Packers as their record is most comparable to the Cowboys given that the teams tied with one another. Is this possible? If so, it seems most likely by way of the Packers. Consider their remaining schedule. Minnesota Vikings (4-6) at Detroit Lions (6-4) Chicago Bears (7-3) at Denver Broncos (9-2) at Chicago Bears (7-3) Baltimore Ravens (5-5) at Minnesota Vikings (4-6) There are a handful of games within the division left, and the ones that are not are against the top seed in the AFC in the moment and a Ravens team that has really found life since stabilizing things a couple of weeks ago. In this hypothetical, the Cowboys would also still have to jump the Lions (who they play for what it’s worth) and Panthers. The hole that they dug is quite deep. At the moment the playoffs still seem like a stretch, but they are certainly possible. We will see how the cards fall this week and if the team is able to make this conversation more interesting. See More: Dallas Cowboys Roster
3 stars from the Cowboys’ 33-16 win over Raiders
The Dallas Cowboys have added several prominent players by external means since the offseason, and so far, they have given the Cowboys a big boost to elevate the roster. No one looked happier to see it play out on the field than Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, brimming with excitement as he saw his roster additions […] The Dallas Cowboys have added several prominent players by external means since the offseason, and so far, they have given the Cowboys a big boost to elevate the roster. No one looked happier to see it play out on the field than Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, brimming with excitement as he saw his roster additions crush the Las Vegas Raiders. With the win, Dallas moved just one game back of a .500 record, ahead of a pivotal home date against the Philadelphia Eagles. The offense provided several explosive plays in the passing game, and the offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage to open holes for Javonte Williams. Dallas’ new-look defense grounded the Raiders’ offense to easily cruise for the win on a night filled with emotions for America’s Team. Here are the prominent players who guided Dallas to their fourth win of the season. George Pickens In a disciplinary move that was deemed a coach’s decision, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens started the game’s opening drive on the bench. As expected, the offense struggled, yet once Pickens got on the field, he was unstoppable. Like his counterpart, Lamb, Pickens is a very quarterback-friendly target. He doesn’t get enough credit for his intelligence and understanding when to throttle down routes in the soft spot of a zone defense. He was just in the right place, at the right time, all night. Pickens ran excellent patterns and got great releases off the line of scrimmage. You knew at some point he was going to score. Earlier in the game, Pickens made a great effort on a deep pass toward the end zone, hauling in the ball with one hand, but his feet were inches out of bounds. He stood up and motioned to the Raiders defender in coverage how close he was to a highlight reel play. Sure enough, he made one shortly thereafter and did so in style. On his 37-yard touchdown, Pickens did a great job of creating separation after the catch from Kyu Blu Kelly and then made a lateral cut to elude the defense for the touchdown. All night, Pickens was fighting off defenders and turning good gains into great ones. When Dak Prescott needed a play, Pickens was his favorite target. The two connected for nine receptions for 144 yards. We’ve seen enough. Open up the wallet, and pay the man. Quinnen Williams When you make a trade like the Cowboys did at the deadline, you’re going to want to see an immediate return on investment. So far, Quinnen Williams has proved he was worth the cost of doing business, and the Cowboys are already starting to get what they paid for. Williams said that he picked up the team’s playbook in a matter of days, and it showed as he was very comfortable acclimating himself on the field. Williams’ power and quickness were too much for the Raiders to handle. Will Putnam was filling in at center for Jackson Powers-Johnson, and Williams smelled blood in the water. Putnam and the Raiders’ offensive line were outmatched by Williams’ strength and gave Geno Smith nowhere to step up, giving Williams’ defensive cohorts a chance to make the plays like when Williams drove Geno Smith back into the waiting arms of James Houston for a sack. Also, his impact in the running game helped the Cowboys make rookie running back Ashton Jeanty a non-factor. Jeanty rushed six times for a total of seven yards. On the night, Williams had 1.5 sacks and five quarterback hits to cap off his Cowboys debut. Welcome to Dallas, Mr. Williams. Dak Prescott After an eventful few weeks for the Cowboys, they needed to come together as a team and win, knowing their leadership was going to be tested. Dak Prescott proved why he’s the anchor for his team. After an early 3-and-out and Prescott making the mistake of holding the ball too long, which allowed a forced fumble from Maxx Crosby, you started to wonder if things would get out of hand like they had in the weeks prior. Instead Prescott righted the ship and caught fire conducting the offense. He made plays to escape the pocket and give receivers an extra moment to get open. Prescott was dialed in and picked apart the Raiders’ secondary. He completed four touchdown passes to four different receivers and threw for 268 yards (QBR of 86.7), and completing 75 percent of his passes. Prescott’s hype for MVP has tapered off, coinciding with the team’s recent losses, but these are the types of games that could see his name reenter the conversation. More importantly, these are the games that the Cowboys will need from Prescott if they hope to pull off an improbable march to the postseason. See More: Dallas Cowboys Roster
2025 NFL Week 12 Power Rankings: Cowboys rise after big Monday night win
The Dallas Cowboys took care of business on Monday night against the Las Vegas Raiders and as a result people are feeling pretty good about them for the first time in a while. We all understand that Monday night was just one game and that this team still has a very tough path to the […] The Dallas Cowboys took care of business on Monday night against the Las Vegas Raiders and as a result people are feeling pretty good about them for the first time in a while. We all understand that Monday night was just one game and that this team still has a very tough path to the playoffs. We are simply just taking the wins as they come and Monday night’s was objectively impressive. It would seem that a majority of the internet believes this as well. The Cowboys rose in our power rankings as well as those from across the world wide web following Week 11’s action. Let’s get to them. 1 – New England Patriots (LW: 3) They have all the reason in the world to feel excited right now. 2 – Los Angeles Rams (LW: 4) There is zero doubt that they are good enough to win it all. They have everything that they need. 3 – Buffalo Bills (LW: 6) It appears that they are awake once more. 4 – Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 5) How do they keep finding a way? It is so annoying. 5 – Seattle Seahawks (LW: 1) There is no need to freak out here. A season is a marathon. 6 – Detroit Lions (LW: 2) You could say the same here, although Dan Campbell was quite suspect on Sunday night. 7 – Indianapolis Colts (LW: 8) Welcome back. 8 – Denver Broncos (LW: 10) It is hard to say how impressive beating the Chiefs is nowadays, but they have earned the right to be taken very seriously. 9 – Chicago Bears (LW: 12) As have they. 10 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 9) It would appear that they are taking on water, no pun intended. Tampa is fun, but they may not be able to go that deep. Shoot, they may not win their division. 11 – Baltimore Ravens (LW: 13) We all assumed that they were back and going to win the AFC North. That looks on track. 12 – San Francisco 49ers (LW: 16) Brock Purdy delivered in his return. 13 – Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 7) It would be absurd to claim that they would miss the playoffs. They have all benefit of the doubt. But there is zero question that they have dug quite the hole. 14 – Carolina Panthers (LW: 18) We know that the Cowboys should have beaten them, but wow they might be very impressive nonetheless. 15 – Los Angeles Chargers (LW: 11) Everyone always doubts them when they have success because of these games. 16 – Green Bay Packers (LW: 14) A win is a win, but the Packers have looked pretty pedestrian as of late. 17 – Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 20) I’m not ready to fully believe here yet, but the Jaguars are definitely intriguing. 18 – Houston Texans (LW: 19) The Texans are right there, though. 19 – Dallas Cowboys (LW: 23) Monday night was impressive. Sunday will be a tall task. 20 – Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 15) This team without Aaron Rodgers will be a tough scene. 21 – Minnesota Vikings (LW: 17) This season has been quite awkward here. 22 – Miami Dolphins (LW: 26) Hala Dolphins! 23 – Atlanta Falcons (LW: 22) Everything about what is happening here is dull and boring. 24 – Arizona Cardinals (LW: 22) The Cardinals have lost 7 of their last 8 games. Their lone win? You know it, baby. 25 – New Orleans Saints (LW: 24) Welcome back, I guess. 26 – Cleveland Browns (LW: 25) It is amazing how they are always so unwatchable. 27 – New York Giants (LW: 27) Who do we think their next coach will be? 28 – Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 28) Remember that Thursday night win they had? Everything since then has been gross. 29 – Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 30) They are indeed… that bad. 30 – New York Jets (LW: 29) Tyrod Taylor time. 31 – Washington Commanders (LW: 31) Yuck. 32 – Tennessee Titans (LW: 32) More of that. ESPN: 21 (LW: 21) No movement. Who’s under the most pressure: Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus Eberflus could essentially have a new defense in the second half of the season. The first nine games didn’t go so well with the Cowboys 31st in yards (414.8) and points allowed per game (30.8). But at the trade deadline, they acquired All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and linebacker Logan Wilson. They also welcomed back linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and third-round cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. in Week 11. Starting safeties Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson returned, too. If the Cowboys can improve over the final eight games, then Eberflus’ job security improves. If not, then the Cowboys could be looking for their fourth defensive coordinator in four years. — Todd Archer A slight bump up. The Cowboys needed Monday’s convincing win over the Raiders after two straight losses, but it naturally came with drama, in the form of first-series benchings of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. That at least made the game interesting. Dak Prescott threw for four TDs, including one each to the aforementioned doghouse receivers. Dallas’ defense showed some spunk, even factoring in the matchup against an offense that ranked 30th in the NFL coming into the game. Quinnen Williams wasted no time making his impact felt, providing 1.5 sacks and several pressures, and it seemed to rub off on the entire defensive front. What a way to honor the late Marshawn Kneeland. The meat of Dallas’ schedule lies ahead, with several rough games coming up, but the ‘Boys turned in a good overall effort Monday after a slow start. That’s something. USA
Cowboys at Raiders: Star receiving duo steals the show in Sin City
Monday night got off to a strange start for the Dallas Cowboys’ star wide receiver duo. In a shocking development, both CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens were off the field for Dallas’ first offensive possession. The Cowboys’ drive lasted just three plays, and they punted the ball back to the Raiders, leaving Cowboys fans around […] Monday night got off to a strange start for the Dallas Cowboys’ star wide receiver duo. In a shocking development, both CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens were off the field for Dallas’ first offensive possession. The Cowboys’ drive lasted just three plays, and they punted the ball back to the Raiders, leaving Cowboys fans around the world perplexed. While the move was ultimately deemed a “coaching decision,” multiple media members reported that the duo was forced to sit out Dallas’ first offensive possession as a disciplinary measure. The night could not have gotten off to a weirder start, but the first possession benching must have lit some sort of spark in both of Dallas’ star wideouts. From Dallas’ third offensive possession on, Lamb and Pickens took over the game. The duo came up big when Dallas’ offense needed a boost, earning them both this week’s game ball award. Pickens had the bigger day of the two, putting together one of his best games as a Cowboy. The 24-year-old finished the night with nine catches for 144 yards and a touchdown. Pickens’ huge day etched his name in the history books, as the wideout totaled the most receiving yards in the first 10 games of a player’s tenure in Cowboys franchise history. While Lamb didn’t light up the stat sheet, he came up big when Dallas needed him most. Lamb’s second-quarter touchdown catch turned out to be the true turning point of the game, as the Cowboys dominated the Raiders from that point on. When Lamb and Pickens are on their game like they were tonight, there aren’t many defenses in the league that are capable of slowing down Dallas’ offense. With a potentially improved defense, if the Cowboys’ offensive line can continue to give Dak Prescott time to consistently get Lamb and Pickens the ball, Dallas may have a real shot at making an improbable postseason run. See More: Dallas Cowboys Roster
Jerry Jones: CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens suggests answer behind ‘coach’s decision’ on Monday night
The Dallas Cowboys were victorious on Monday night against the Las Vegas Raiders, but things started out a bit wonky. Vegas won the opening coin toss and chose to defer which put the Cowboys on the field first. Interestingly, as the Cowboys went out on offense, they did so without both CeeDee Lamb and George […] The Dallas Cowboys were victorious on Monday night against the Las Vegas Raiders, but things started out a bit wonky. Vegas won the opening coin toss and chose to defer which put the Cowboys on the field first. Interestingly, as the Cowboys went out on offense, they did so without both CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. The Monday Night Football broadcast began speculating what this was all about and quickly reported that it had to do with a “coach’s decision” from Brian Schottenheimer and that it was not injury related. Schotty spoke about the matter following the win and reiterated that line. Jerry Jones spoke the following morning during his standard Tuesday appearance on 105.3 The Fan and offered a similar explanation, although he did add a bit more detail. As noted, both CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens themselves declined to provide any real detail when asked about the situation following the game. Between the four of them (Schotty, CeeDee, George, and Jerry) it was Jones who suggested that the players in question were perhaps late to a meeting and that this was the core of things. Schottenheimer was clearly dissatisfied with something that two of the best players on the team did and he chose to do something about it. That is a level of discretion that the head coach should have, and in this case the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys had it. See More: Dallas Cowboys News
Cowboys news: Dallas looks like new team with new faces in lineup for win at Raiders
New-look defense, offense’s old ways return as Cowboys overwhelm Raiders, 33-16 – K.D. Drummond, The Cowboys Wire The Cowboys got positive contributions in all three phases against the Raiders. The Cowboys had a catharsis of sorts, getting every phase of their team working in unison and earning a 33-16 victory. Quarterback Dak Prescott threw for […] New-look defense, offense’s old ways return as Cowboys overwhelm Raiders, 33-16 – K.D. Drummond, The Cowboys Wire The Cowboys got positive contributions in all three phases against the Raiders. The Cowboys had a catharsis of sorts, getting every phase of their team working in unison and earning a 33-16 victory. Quarterback Dak Prescott threw for four touchdowns including one to George Pickens who caught nine passes for 144 yards. Meanwhile WIlliams turned in a 1.5 sack, 1 TFL performance in his Cowboys debut. The defense had four sacks on the night as they held the Raiders to just one touchdown drive and got on the scoreboard with a safety by rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku. The victory improves Dallas to 4-5-1 on the year as they return home to host the world champion and NFC-best 8-2 Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens absent to start Cowboys game due to ‘coach’s decision’ – RJ Ochoa, Blogging The Boys This game got off to a weird start on offense, as the Cowboys went three and out without CeeDee Lamb or George Pickens on the field the first series. The ESPN broadcast showed the team’s top two offensive weapons on the sideline as Joe Buck and Troy Aikman speculated what was going on. After the Cowboys went three and out it was reported by Lisa Salters that Lamb and Pickens were absent from the possession not for any sort of injury reason, but a “coach’s decision” which sparked all sorts of intrigue. It appeared as if Lamb and Pickens were being punished for something, but the exact reasoning is obviously unknown at this time. Both Lamb and Pickens were on the field to start the second possession of the game for the Cowboys so their punishment was a short one. Stargazing: Cowboys who plundered the Raiders – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com Whether it was the early discipline or just taking advantage of a bad Raiders defense, the Cowboys pass offense didn’t take long to get going. Dak Prescott His yardage won’t blow you away, but his efficiency might, as should his effort in battling through early pressure allowed by the offensive line to toss four touchdowns on the evening and owning a passer rating of 145.2 as the game neared its conclusion. Prescott’s 18-yard touchdown pass to CeeDee Lamb at the top of the second quarter rewarded the defense for James Houston’s sack against Geno Smith to give the Cowboys a 10-6 lead, and he then used both Lamb and George Pickens to beat the Raiders into submission for much of the contest thereafter. CeeDee Lamb + George Pickens That was by far not the only highlight delivered by Lamb in this game, several big gainers reeled in and despite taking a hit or two doing so. And when it wasn’t Lamb getting the best of the Raiders, it was Pickens, the latter dominating Las Vegas at every turn and racking up first-down conversions, yardage and ankles on his way to another stellar outing for the Cowboys. As a matter of fact, his two consecutive first downs were on the same drive that ended with Lamb’s touchdown — the Terror Twins™ were on demon time in Week 11 … and despite being benched the first drive by Brian Schottenheimer for disciplinary reasons. 5 takeaways from Cowboys’ big win: Lamb, Pickens turn discipline into production – Nick Harris, Fort-Worth Star Telegram The Cowboys put distance between themselves and the Raiders on the scoreboard by finishing drives in the red zone. Red zone emphasis pays off After the team’s bad loss to the Arizona Cardinals before the bye week, Schottenheimer and Prescott talked about how the team’s inefficiencies on both sides of the ball in the red zone had to be a priority during the bye. Well, it paid off. The offense scored touchdowns on three of its four trips to the red area, and the defense allowed just one touchdown on Las Vegas’ four trips inside the 20-yard line. Call that a win in an area where improvement was much needed going into the break. Dak Prescott knocking on the door of history After a two-game stretch going into the bye that saw the first-team offense average just 13.5 points per game and Prescott throw for just 438 yards and one touchdown, the first-team unit responded with a sound passing attack that saw Prescott finish with 268 yards and four touchdowns. With his yardage total, Prescott sits just 179 yards from becoming the franchise’s all-time leading passer. But if you ask Prescott, he is prouder of the offense getting back on track with a gauntlet of opponents — the Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions — upcoming. It’s been a long time since a Cowboys defense pushed the middle of the pocket as much as they did Monday night against the Raiders, with Quinnen Williams making his debut. Dak is back. Although the Cowboys have struggled as a team, Dak Prescott was compiling a legitimate case for NFL MVP by mid-October. That’s precisely when the wheels fell off, leading to two ugly showings that not only torpedoed his hopes of winning the award but also directly contributed to the Cowboys’ two most recent losses. Prescott got back on the right side of the ledger in a big way Monday night, dicing up Las Vegas’ beleaguered defense with a healthy dose of targets for George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb, powering a Cowboys aerial attack that appeared unstoppable for most of Monday night. Such a performance only counts for one win but was desperately needed for a Cowboys team that has relied heavily on its offense to
