The Las Vegas Raiders were dominated by the Dallas Cowboys, 33-16, on “Monday Night Football”.
“This was a rough night,” head coach Pete Carroll said postgame. “We didn’t get stuff done the way we wanted to on either side of the ball.”
Red Zone Woes
It’s hard to believe, but the Las Vegas Raiders did take an early 3-0 lead. The Raiders offense was gifted a short field thanks to a strip sack fumble from All-Pro edge rusher Maxx Crosby.
However, having to settle for field goals against the third-ranked scoring offense is a recipe for disaster. The Las Vegas Raiders went 1-for-3 in the red zone and didn’t score their first touchdown until the fourth quarter. Wide receiver Tre Tucker was responsible for the lone score.
The Las Vegas Raiders were unable to finish drives because they were outmatched at the line of scrimmage. Geno Smith was sacked four times and was under duress throughout the entire game. It is tough for any offense to find a rhythm when you cannot block up front. The Las Vegas Raiders desperately missed Pro Bowl left tackle Kolton Miller and 2024 second-round draft pick Jackson Powers-Johnson tonight.
Additionally, the Las Vegas Raiders were unable to run the ball. The Dallas Cowboys entered the week ranked 29th against the run, allowing 143 rushing yards per game. In Week 11, the Raiders recorded 27 rushing yards. Their leading rusher was quarterback Geno Smith, who finished with fourteen rushing yards. Ashton Jeanty had seven yards on six carries. Overall, this was another disappointing offensive showing for the 2-8 Las Vegas Raiders.
Dak Dazzles in Las Vegas
Dak Prescott continued his strong season with a remarkable performance on “Monday Night Football”. He completed 25-of-33 passes for 268 yards and four touchdowns. His favorite target this week was George Pickens, who hauled in a career-high nine passes for 144 receiving yards and one score.
Dak Prescott spread the wealth around, finding four different receivers for touchdowns —CeeDee Lamb, Jake Ferguson, George Pickens, and Ryan Flournoy. The Dallas Cowboys generated 381 total yards of offense and averaged 5.9 yards per play.
With the win, the Dallas Cowboys improved to 4-5-1. They remain in the playoff hunt in the NFC.
–Follow Dan Loya on X @DLoya_NFL
