Las Vegas, NV — Eleven emotional days after the tragic death of defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, the Dallas Cowboys returned to the field Monday night with purpose—and delivered one of their most inspired performances of the season. Dallas dominated the struggling Las Vegas Raiders from start to finish, securing a 33–16 win in their first game since losing the 24-year-old lineman to an apparent suicide on Nov. 6.
Before kickoff, coach Brian Schottenheimer and his players wore shirts honoring Kneeland and joined in a stadium-wide moment of silence. The tribute set the tone for a night in which the Cowboys played with raw emotion and renewed unity.
“These past 11 days have been incredibly hard,” Schottenheimer said. “The guys wanted to honor Marshawn, and they played with the kind of toughness he embodied. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t shed a few tears putting that shirt on. But I know he was watching, and I hope he’s proud.”
Team owner Jerry Jones echoed the sentiment, crediting his head coach for guiding the team through its grief. “A game like this is almost therapeutic,” Jones said. “Our players know how much Marshawn loved competing and how much he loved the Cowboys. Tonight was a way of saying, ‘This one’s for you.’”
The Cowboys (4–5–1), who had dropped three of their last four games entering the matchup, kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a balanced offensive attack and suffocating defense. Dak Prescott delivered one of his sharpest outings of the year, throwing for 268 yards and four touchdowns while completing 25 of 44 passes. His four scoring throws matched his season high from Oct. 5 against the Jets, though he did miss a wide-open CeeDee Lamb on what could’ve been a walk-in touchdown.
Despite being benched for the opening drive as a disciplinary measure, George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb quickly took over the passing game. Pickens erupted for nine grabs, 144 yards and a touchdown, while Lamb added five catches for 66 yards and another score. Javonte Williams helped balance the offense with a hard-earned 93 yards on 22 carries.
The Raiders (2–8), meanwhile, continued spiraling under first-year coach Pete Carroll. Las Vegas has now lost eight of its past nine games and struggled mightily to find offensive rhythm. Carroll leaned heavily—almost exclusively—on the passing game, calling 32 pass plays and just three runs in the first half. According to league records dating back to 1991, they became only the third team to have 30-plus drop backs and four or fewer runs in a first half.
Carroll defended the pass-heavy approach. “We were chasing explosive plays,” he said. “Chip [Kelly] and I were aligned on that. We were getting some big gains early, but we stalled in the red zone. I’m not worried about the run-pass balance—I’m worried about moving the football.”
The imbalance resulted in one of the least productive rushing efforts in franchise history. Las Vegas finished with just 12 carries—tied for the 12th fewest ever for the team. Rookie back Ashton Jeanty, drafted sixth overall to revive the league’s worst rushing offense, was limited to six carries for seven yards and was tackled in the end zone for a fourth-quarter safety. “I just run what’s called,” Jeanty said of the play selection.
Quarterback Geno Smith completed 27 of 42 passes for 238 yards, one touchdown and one interception, but was under constant duress from a Cowboys defense that recorded four sacks. Newly acquired defensive lineman Quinnen Williams had 1.5 of those sacks in his Dallas debut. The Cowboys sent the Jets a significant package—including a 2027 first-round pick—to land the Pro Bowl defender.
Injuries
- Cowboys: Safety Donovan Wilson returned after missing two games with a knee injury. Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown made his season debut, and rookie corner Shavon Revel saw his first NFL action. Both players suffered season-ending knee injuries last year—Revel’s occurring during his college career at East Carolina.
What’s Next:
Cowboys: Return home to face the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in a key NFC East showdown Sunday.
Raiders: Host the Cleveland Browns next week as they attempt to halt their downward skid.
