Cowboys honor Kneeland, then get 4
TD passes from Prescott in 33-16 win over Raiders
[November 18, 2025]
By MARK ANDERSON
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.”
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 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.
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Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby and Raiders linebacker
Jamin Davis puts pressure on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott
(4) during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 17,
2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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.
Injuries
Cowboys: S Donovan Wilson (knee) returned after missing two previous
games. ... LB DeMarvion Overshown made his season debut and CB
Shavon Revel played in his first NFL game. Both had season-ending
knee injuries last year, with Revel getting hurt while playing at
East Carolina.
Up next
Cowboys: Host the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles in an NFC
East matchup on Sunday.
Raiders: Host Cleveland on Sunday.
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