Raiders routed by Cowboys at home as losing streak reaches 4

Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott attempts a pass while being chased down by Las Vegas defensive end Tyree Wilson. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Raiders

The 14th all-time meeting between two historic NFL franchises resulted in one being routed as the answers it searches for persist.

Las Vegas lost to Dallas, 33-16, Monday, Nov. 17 from Allegiant Stadium to close Week 11. It marked the third primetime game of the season for the Raiders as the team fell to 0-3 in such instances this year.

The most recent loss dropped Las Vegas to 2-8 on the year with seven more regular season games left to be played. Its regular season slate continues with a second straight home game as it prepares for a date with Cleveland Sunday, Nov. 23 from Allegiant Stadium.

Sunday’s kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m.

“We’re going to take a look at everything that we’re doing,” head coach Pete Carroll said. “Which is what we do on a week-to-week, day-to-day basis, that’s the only way you do it.”

Despite not playing during the first drive of the game due to a coach’s decision, receivers George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb had more than enough time on the backend to carve up the Las Vegas secondary.

Once entered into the game, Pickens started first to the tune of 46 yards on his three receptions of the game. As he did that, Lamb would account for the first touchdown of the night to make it, 10-6 Dallas, giving the team its first lead of the game.

“I was really disappointed we didn’t stop them more,” Carroll said. “There was a space in that game where three or four drives in a row, we couldn’t get off [the] field. And it wasn’t all third down stuff.”

Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby gets the strip sack fumble of Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Raiders

Pickens would later get in on the touchdown action when he scored from 37 yards out in the third quarter. At one point, the visitors scored 21 straight points on the way to the lopsided win.

Pickens and Lamb combined to rack up 210 yards and two touchdowns on 14 total receptions.

“They have a really good offense and they do a nice job with it,” Carroll said. “Pickens was really a problem for us. And it wasn’t just when he caught it, it was his after catch stuff that was really impressive. That he was able to run through us like that.”

Quarterback Dak Prescott threw four touchdowns in the win with the other two going to tight end Jake Ferguson and receiver Ryan Flournoy. He also threw for 268 yards on 25 completions through the air versus just eight incompletions.

“I don’t even know Dak’s numbers but he must’ve had a good night himself,” Carroll said. “He was on it so very difficult night for us. I’m sorry about it, I feel bad.”

Even when four-time Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby could get his hands on Prescott, the Raiders’ offense couldn’t do much with the opportunity. Crosby was responsible for a strip sack of Prescott in the first quarter which gave Las Vegas the ball at the Dallas 15-yard line.

Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly opted to throw the ball three straight times on that drive resulting in a made field goal from kicker Daniel Carlson on the heels of back-to-back incompletes.

Las Vegas quarterback Geno Smith slides during a run inside Allegiant Stadium. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Raiders

In fact, that drive opened with quarterback Geno Smith being sacked on the first play of the possession. In total, he was sacked four times in the loss including one and a half times by newly-acquired defensive tackle Quinnen Williams for the Cowboys.

For much of the game, it appeared the Raiders were more than willing to throw the football as opposed to running the football, best displayed by 12 of the team’s first 15 plays of the game coming via aerial attack.

In the entire first half, Las Vegas attempted just four running plays as it went into the break down, 24-9.

“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 and that’s me because I was influencing the gameplan.”

With all those chances to find success through the air, Smith would be intercepted for the 13th time this season late in the first half. He is now tied with Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for the most interceptions in the NFL this season.

“Again, for me, I just have to play better,” Smith said. “I keep saying this man, ‘If something don’t look right out there, blame it on me.’ If it don’t look right, blame it on me, that’s all you can do.

Raiders receiver Tre Tucker goes up for a contested catch in the team's lopsided loss to the Cowboys on Monday Night Football. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Raiders

“If your kids mess up at school, blame it on me. Car break down going to work, blame it on me.”

Smith would find receiver Tre Tucker late in the game for the one home team touchdown of the night for Las Vegas. In the loss, Smith went 27-for-42 with 238 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

“We had so many good opportunities,” Carroll said. “It got us in the red area and then we didn’t function well. We got sacked a little bit, we got hit a little bit and [it] didn’t work out.”

Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty had perhaps his worst games as a professional, ending the night with just seven yards on six carries. The seven yards accumulated are a career-low for the former Heisman candidate as the six carries tied for the lowest in his young career.

“I took accountability,” Carroll said. “This is my football team and I had a chance to do something on offense in this game and we went after it. Some of it was promising and some of it didn’t work out balance-wise.”