Ready or not, the Raiders (2-7) are back in prime time this week for their second and final “Monday Night Football” appearance of the season.
The national audience watching at home can’t be too thrilled to see the team that lost 10-7 to the Broncos on “Thursday Night Football” last week back on their screens.
At least this game looks like it should be entertaining on paper. The Cowboys (3-5-1) are bad enough on defense that even the Raiders’ woeful offense should be able to move the ball.
Game information
■ Who: Cowboys at Raiders
■ When: 5:15 p.m. Monday
■ Where: Allegiant Stadium
■ TV: ABC, ESPN (Joe Buck, play-by-play; Troy Aikman, analyst)
■ Radio: KRLV-AM (920), KOMP-FM (92.3) (Jason Horowitz, play-by-play; Kirk Morrison, analyst)
■ Line: Cowboys -3½, total 50
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Series history
The Raiders, thanks to a victory on Thanksgiving in 2021, lead 7-6 in the all-time series, which dates back to 1974.
Dallas won the only meeting between the two teams in Los Angeles in 1992.
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Last meeting
Nov. 25, 2021 — In overtime, kicker Daniel Carlson made his fifth field goal to lift the Raiders to a 36-33 road win on Thanksgiving.
Quarterback Derek Carr threw for 373 yards and a touchdown in the victory, while wide receivers Hunter Renfrow and DeSean Jackson each had more than 100 receiving yards.
Wide receivers Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Michael Gallup both had more than 100 receiving yards for the Cowboys. Running back Tony Pollard also had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown for Dallas.
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Bold predictions
Carlson will answer the challenge of the Raiders signing kicker Greg Joseph to their practice squad Tuesday by making at least three field goals, including one from 50-plus yards.
2. Rookie wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. will catch a touchdown pass of at least 40 yards.
3. Cowboys running back Javonte Williams, who has eight rushing touchdowns, will record his second receiving touchdown of the season.
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Storyline
The Raiders could be playing a home game in name only this week.
Monday marks the first time the Cowboys, maybe the NFL’s most popular team despite their lack of recent success, will visit Allegiant Stadium. Expect a massive amount of Dallas fans to fill the seats.
The spectators on both sides should at least be treated to an interesting game. The Cowboys allow the second-most points per game in the NFL (30.8) but score the fourth-most (29.2).
This game will also feature a reunion between Raiders coach Pete Carroll and first-year Dallas coach Brian Schottenheimer, Carroll’s former offensive coordinator with the Seahawks.
Schottenheimer, the son of longtime NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer, worked for Carroll for three seasons.
“His dad is one of the guys that I have the most respect for, for the way he styled his coaching and all of that,” Carroll said. “Brian has his own way and his stamp on this team right now is the offense.”
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When the Cowboys have the ball
Schottenheimer’s presence isn’t the only reason for the Cowboys’ offensive success.
Quarterback Dak Prescott is having a great year, though he is starting to plateau after a phenomenal start to the season. He has some strong weapons in wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
Williams is giving Dallas a productive option out of the backfield as well. It’s a group that should provide a tough challenge for the Raiders.
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When the Raiders have the ball
Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s unit has been a work in progress in his first season in the NFL since 2016. The Raiders are averaging 15.4 points per game, the second-fewest in the league.
“He’s working hard at it,” Carroll said of Kelly. “He’s working hard at it, and he’s working with the guys he’s got and trying to make the very most of it.”
That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement.
The Raiders haven’t been able to string positive performances together in what has been a lost season for quarterback Geno Smith. They were explosive in the second half of their 30-29 overtime loss in the Jaguars in Week 9, then followed that up with a terrible showing against the Broncos.
“We need to find consistency,” Carroll said. “Two weeks ago, we were gaga over the performance that we had in (tight end Brock Bowers’) return and all of that and I figured we were pedal to the metal. Unfortunately, we come back this past week in Denver, one of the best teams in the NFL on defense, one of the sack-iest teams in the NFL on defense, and we couldn’t get going on them. And so, we’ll see. Was it Denver? Was it us? Is it Dallas? Is it us? We’ll find out as we keep going. But I’m expecting us to get better and more consistent.”
The Cowboys are at least a good defense to get right against. Dallas did acquire standout defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the Jets before the trade deadline, however.
“He’s a fantastic player,” Carroll said. “That’s why they went after him and gave up a lot to get him.”
Dallas also expects to get some players back from injuries this week, so it could field a much-improved unit.
Still, if the Raiders’ offense can’t find success this week, it may be a lost cause.
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Friday’s injury report
■ Raiders: LIMITED: LB Cody Lindenberg (Achilles). FULL: RB Dylan Laube (foot), WR Tyler Lockett (knee), QB Aidan O’Connell (right wrist), LG Dylan Parham (ankle), S Isaiah Pola-Mao (hip).
■ Cowboys: DNP: S Alijah Clark (ribs/illness), DT Solomon Thomas (calf). LIMITED: OT Ajani Cornelius (knee), DE Dante Fowler (shoulder), LG Tyler Smith (knee), S Donovan Wilson (elbow/shoulder). FULL: LB DeMarvion Overshown (knee), CB Shavon Revel (knee), DT Perrion Winfrey (back).
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The pick
Cowboys 31, Raiders 23
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.
Adam Hill Las Vegas Review-Journal