Determined to play in honor of Marshawn Kneeland, the Cowboys did just that in their first game back following a difficult bye week. Behind an offense that put the game out of reach with five straight scoring possessions and a revitalized defense with several new faces, Dallas dominated the Las Vegas Raiders, 33-16.
Not that the game didn't begin with a big question mark as both CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, the Cowboys' star wideouts, watched the first offensive series from the sidelines due to a coach's disciplinary decision. But getting them into the flow of the game didn't take long. Pickens would go on to earn 144 receiving yards and a touchdown with Lamb gathering in 66 yards and a score himself.
Both players benefited from the excellent play of quarterback Dak Prescott, who returned to form after a pair of tough outings in the previous two games. He completed 75.8 percent of his passes for 268 yards and four touchdowns to finish with an impressive 138.6 passer rating.
And on the ground, Javonte Williams had a season-high 22 carries for 93 yards, the team as a whole running for 114 yards.
Still, regardless of the offensive fireworks, most eyes were seemingly on the defense in this one as Quinnen Wiliams and Logan Wilson made their debuts after being acquired at the trade deadline. In addition, starting safeties Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson were healthy and back in the lineup while DeMarvion Overshown and rookie Shavon Revel made their first appearances of the season after being sidelined with knee injuries.
Thanks to that influx of energy, Dallas generally made life miserable for Geno Smith. The Las Vegas quarterback was sacked four times, including 1 ½ by Williams, and managed just 238 passing yards on 42 attempts with a touchdown and an interception for a 77.3 passer rating. Even better, the defense held Las Vegas to just 27 rushing yards on 12 attempts, a paltry 2.3 average.
Overall, the Cowboys outgained the Raiders, 381 yards to 236, converted 40 percent of their third-down tries and 60 percent of their trips into the red zone, and held the time of possession, 33:36 to 26:24.
First Quarter
Although Lamb and Pickens got into the game on Dallas' second offensive series, things didn't immediately get better. On first-and-10 at his own 16-yard line, Prescott was sack-stripped by Maxx Crosby with the Raiders' Tonka Hemingway falling on the fumble. Despite the great field position, though, the Cowboys defense limited the damage to just a 35-yard field goal.
Finally, the Dallas offense found a little rhythm with Prescott hitting Pickens for 12 yards and Luepke for 15 more during a drive that eventually led to a 50-yard field goal from Brandon Aubrey. Still, after 15 minutes of play, Dallas was back behind, 6-3, due to another Las Vegas field goal, this from 45 yards out.
Second Quarter
Although the first quarter might have got off to a stuttering start, by the end of the half, the Cowboys were in control after reeling off 21 unanswered points in the second frame.
The game's first touchdown came on a six-play, 68-yard drive that saw Prescott complete consecutive passes to Pickens for a combined 34 yards, hand off to Javonte Williams for a 10-yard pickup and then wrap up the series with a perfect pass to a wide-open Lamb for the score.
That was then followed by a lengthy 12-play, 79-yard possession that ate 6:33 off the clock. Prescott completed seven of his eight passes for 69 yards during the series, the last of which was a dart to Jake Ferguson in the end zone on fourth-and-1 at the Raiders' 5-yard line.
But the Cowboys weren't done. Las Vegas dipped into Cowboys territory for the fourth time, but on first-and-10 at the Dallas 31-yard line, Smith's pass to Brock Bowers was instead tipped right into the waiting arms of Markquese Bell. The safety then returned the interception 24 yards to the Raiders' 31.
Four snaps later, Prescott connected with Pickens, who pivoted outside before making a nifty cut back inside to cross the goal line untouched. A 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty made Aubrey's extra-point attempt a 48-yarder, but no worries. His conversion was of course good.
Las Vegas would add three points before heading into the locker room on a 38-yard field goal, but the Cowboys still entered the break with a 24-9 advantage.
Third Quarter
Not surprisingly, the second half saw Dallas pick up right where it left off. First, the defense forced a quick three-and-out, which was followed by the Cowboys' offense methodically marching 80 yards in 12 plays and 7:07 of clock time to the end zone.
The Prescott-to-Pickens combo again proved picturesque as the duo paired up for completions of 21 and 17 yards, the first of those seeing the receiver run with authority down the left sideline. However, fellow wideout Ryan Flournoy would get the scoring honors and increase the Cowboys lead to 31-9, thanks to a 2-yard catch for his second touchdown of the season.
Fourth Quarter
Obviously, the Raiders weren't going to go quietly into the night, and three plays into the fourth quarter, they capped off a 14-play, 62-yard drive with their first touchdown of the game. One snap after scrambling 7 yards to convert a fourth-and-4 at the Dallas 13-yard line, Smith threw a quick screen pass to receiver Tre Tucker, who raced into the end zone for the score.
When the Cowboys then were quickly forced to punt, Las Vegas seemingly had a chance to make this a game. But Bryan Anger's punt put the Raiders on their own 2-yard line, which soon led to Dallas defensive ends Donovan Ezeiruaku and Sam Williams tackling running back Ashton Jeanty in the end zone for a safety.
After Pickens came up with the Raiders' onside kick attempt – because why not? – the Cowboys used 11 plays to travel just 34 yards to the Las Vegas 4. But on fourth-and-1, head coach Brian Schottenheimer elected to go for it, and Prescott's pass to an open Lamb bounced off the receiver's hands, incomplete.
Not that it mattered much to the final outcome. In fact, when the Raiders failed to convert on fourth-and-1 at their own 6-yard line, the Cowboys were right back where they had been. But content with their lead, Prescott kneeled down four times, simply eating up clock time.
With that, the Cowboys now enter perhaps the toughest part of their 2025 schedule sitting in second place in the NFC East with a 4-5-1 record.
