AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth
The Las Vegas Raiders snapped a three-game losing skid, picking up a 36-33 overtime victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day at AT&T Stadium.
The Cowboys tied the score at 30-all with 2:56 left in regulation on a 32-yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott to Dalton Schultz. The pair reconnected on the two-point conversion.
Daniel Carlson and Greg Zuerlein exchanged field goals to send the game into overtime. Carlson landed the decisive blow on a 29-yarder with 4:31 remaining in OT.
Las Vegas’ last win came a little over a month ago in Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Raiders (6-5) have yet to fall below .500 this season.
The Cowboys (7-4), meanwhile, have now dropped three of their last four following a 6-1 start. Their recent slide will have some fans wondering whether that early progress was a bit of a mirage.
Notable Performers
Derek Carr, QB, Raiders: 24-of-39, 373 yards, one touchdown; two carries, 21 yards
Josh Jacobs, RB, Raiders: 22 carries, 87 yards, one touchdown; two receptions 25 yards
Hunter Renfrow, WR, Raiders: eight receptions, 134 yards
Dak Prescott, QB, Cowboys: 32-of-47, 375 yards, two touchdowns; one carry, three yards
Tony Pollard, RB, Cowboys: 10 carries, 36 yards; four receptions, 32 yards
Cedrick Wilson, WR, Cowboys: seven receptions, 104 yards
Raiders Do Just Enough
The Raiders got off to a fast start as Derek Carr hit DeSean Jackson for a 56-yard touchdown on their first drive of the game.
NFL @NFL
BIG PLAY TO OPEN THIS ONE.<a href=”https://twitter.com/DeSeanJackson10?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@DeSeanJackson10</a> gets the corner and a TD! <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/RaiderNation?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#RaiderNation</a><br><br>????: <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/LVvsDAL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#LVvsDAL</a> on CBS<br>????: NFL app <a href=”https://t.co/h623evZaLx”>pic.twitter.com/h623evZaLx</a>
Later in the first quarter, Josh Jacobs punched it in from a yard out to put Las Vegas ahead 14-6. It was about as good as fans could’ve hoped considering the team averaged about 14 points in each of its last three games.
The Raiders began hitting a lull in the second quarter and lost their best pass-catcher, Darren Waller, to a knee injury. Perhaps not coincidentally, Carr targeted nine different players, the most frequent of whom was Hunter Renfrow.
Renfrow made some timely big plays.
A 31-yard reception in the third quarter put his team into Cowboys territory on a possession that ended in a three-yard touchdown run by Marcus Mariota. He hooked up with Carr again in the fourth quarter for 54 yards to set up a 30-yard field goal by Carlson.
NFL @NFL
Renfrow running free down the middle… HUGE 54-yard gain! <a href=”https://twitter.com/renfrowhunter?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@renfrowhunter</a> <br><br>????: <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/LVvsDAL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#LVvsDAL</a> on CBS<br>????: NFL app <a href=”https://t.co/CGX2CnsW9C”>pic.twitter.com/CGX2CnsW9C</a>
Las Vegas totaled 509 yards and its 36 points are a season high. But it still felt like the offense was scraping by at times because it went 3-of-13 on third down and found the end zone on two of its first four trips into the red zone.
The Cowboys provided a helping hand.
Self-Inflicted Wounds Prove Costly for Cowboys
Leading up to Thursday’s contest, the Cowboys knew they’d likely be without the services of Amari Cooper after placing him on the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list. Then they learned hours before kickoff that CeeDee Lamb didn’t clear the league’s concussion protocol and would be out as well.
Cooper and Lamb accounted for around 44 percent of Dallas’ passing yards entering this week, so they collectively left a massive void in the offense.
The Cowboys offense performed well given whom they were missing. Prescott was particularly phenomenal in the fourth quarter, and Michael Gallup and Cedrick Wilson stepped up in a big way to account for Cooper and Lamb’s absences.
Tony Pollard also brought the home crowd to life with a 100-yard kick return touchdown at the 7:00 mark of the third quarter.
Dallas Cowboys @dallascowboys
.<a href=”https://twitter.com/Tp__5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Tp__5</a> DID THAT❕<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/LVvsDAL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#LVvsDAL</a> | ???? : <a href=”https://twitter.com/CBSSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@CBSSports</a> <a href=”https://t.co/KZ8M2DlZxd”>pic.twitter.com/KZ8M2DlZxd</a>
Next Gen Stats @NextGenStats
Tony Pollard reached a top speed of 20.97 mph on this 100-yard kickoff return TD, the fastest play of Pollard’s career as a ball-carrier.<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/StatThat?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#StatThat</a> | Powered by <a href=”https://twitter.com/awscloud?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@awscloud</a> <a href=”https://t.co/roSzaulRdG”>pic.twitter.com/roSzaulRdG</a>
But Dallas didn’t do enough to overcome 14 penalties that totaled 166 yards.
No infraction proved more costly than a pass interference call on Anthony Brown on a 3rd-and-18 in overtime that set the Raiders up at the Cowboys’ 24-yard line. Las Vegas didn’t need to get much closer to the goal line before sending Carlson out there.
Earlier in the game, Dallas also saw a touchdown reception by Schultz wiped off the board because of a holding call on Tyron Smith.
What’s Next?
Dallas has another Thursday night game with the New Orleans Saints on Dec. 2. Las Vegas stays in the NFC East and hosts the Washington Football Team on Dec. 5.
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