LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Cowboys spent 11 days mourning defensive end Marshawn Kneeland before taking the field Monday night.
Dallas then paid tribute to Kneeland by dominating the spiraling Raiders for 60 minutes.
Dak Prescott passed for 268 yards and four touchdowns in a 33-16 victory over Las Vegas, the Cowboys' first game since Kneeland's death.
The 24-year-old Kneeland was found dead on Nov. 6 of an apparent suicide. Coach Brian Schottenheimer and Cowboys players wore shirts honoring Kneeland, and they bowed their heads during a moment of silence before the game.
The Cowboys (4-5-1) played one of their best games of the season to keep alive their slim playoff hopes. Dallas had lost three of four and has games coming up against Philadelphia, Kansas City and Detroit.
“They wanted to honor him, and we’re not done honoring him," Schottenheimer said. “He’s a part of our family forever. But it’s been tough, man. I mean, these past 11 days have been really tough. I’m proud of those guys because just the way they played today, they played with Marshawn’s play style.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have some tears when I first put the shirt on, as you can imagine. But more than anything, I know Marshawn was looking down on us, and we wanted to make him proud, and I think we did that.”
Team owner Jerry Jones credited Schottenheimer's leadership through a dark time.
“In a way, a competition like this with the Raiders is good therapy to come back and get in it,” Jones said. “They know how much that Marshawn loved to compete, how much he loved the Cowboys. And to me, it’s just a way of saying, ‘This one’s for you, Marshawn.’”
Las Vegas (2-8) continued its downward slide under first-year coach Pete Carroll. The Raiders have lost four straight games and eight of nine.
Prescott was precise — minus a miss of a wide-open CeeDee Lamb for an easy touchdown — completing 25 of 44 passes to snap his four-game winless streak (0-3-1) in prime-time games. His four TD passes tied a season high, matching his total from Oct. 5 against the New York Jets.
He threw primarily to George Pickens and Lamb. Pickens (nine catches, 144 yards, one touchdown) and Lamb (five receptions for 66 yards and a TD) produced big numbers despite Schottenheimer benching them for the Cowboys' first drive.
Javonte Williams provided the Cowboys with balance by rushing for 93 yards on 22 carries.
The Raiders had little balance, going with 32 called pass plays and three runs — Geno Smith also scrambled for 7 yards — in the first half alone. They became only the third team since at least 1991 with 30 or more dropbacks and four or few runs in a first half. The four rushes were also the Raiders' second fewest in a first half since at least that year; they had three runs against Atlanta in a 2008 game.
“It was a bunch of play-action passes, and I really wanted to see us do that,” Carroll said. “There's only one person to look at. It's me because I was influencing the game plan. ... (Offensive coordinator) Chip (Kelly) and I knew what was going on, but we were trying to stay with it to see if we could continue to get the big plays, which we were getting. Then we just stalled in the red zone.
“I don't really care about pleasing people with our run-pass mix. I'm trying to move the football.”
Las Vegas finished with 12 rushes, tied for the 12th fewest in franchise history. Ashton Jeanty, taken with the sixth pick in this year's draft to boost what was the NFL's worst rushing game, rushed just six times for 7 yards, and was stopped in the end zone for a safety in the fourth quarter. He had two carries in the first half, gaining 10 yards.
“That's up to the guys upstairs, so just take whatever I get,” Jeanty said of the play-calling.
The air-it-out approach didn't work, with Smith finishing 27 of 42 for 238 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
The Cowboys' defense made sure Smith had few chances to execute the offense, sacking him four times, including 1 1/2 by recent trade acquisition Quinnen Williams. Dallas sent the Jets a 2027 first-round draft pick, a 2026 second-rounder and defensive tackle Mazi Smith for Williams.
If you or someone in your life needs resources, you can dial 988 for the 24/7 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org for a live chat.
