- WHERE: Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
- WHEN: 8:15 p.m. ET
- HOW TO WATCH: ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, NFL+
The Dallas Cowboys are playing with heavy hearts in Week 11.
During the Cowboys' bye week, defensive end Marshawn Kneeland died at the age of 24 on Nov. 6 from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Kneeland scored a touchdown in Dallas' Week 9 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The Cowboys will wear decals on their helmets for the rest of the season in memory of Kneeland. Monday will be the Cowboys' first game since Kneeland's death.
The Raiders, meanwhile, are currently on a three-game losing streak with Las Vegas' most recent loss coming against the Denver Broncos in Week 10. The Pete Carroll era in Las Vegas is off to a bumpy start, but with emerging stars like Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers headlining the offense, a turnaround could happen for Raider Nation in the second half of the 2025 campaign.
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer has some familiarity with Carroll. Schottenheimer previously worked with Carroll with the Seattle Seahawks as the team's offensive coordinator from 2018 to 2020. Now, the duo will face for the first time as head coaches on Monday Night Football.
Three must-know storylines
1) Can the Cowboys offense fix their recent slump?
The Cowboys have been able to run up the scoreboard with Dak Prescott under center this season. However, the last two games for the Dallas offense have not been up to par. During the team's last two losses, the Cowboys are averaging 20.5 points per game, compared to 31.7 points per game in their first seven games. The return of CeeDee Lamb, who missed three games due to an ankle injury, has been an adjustment for Prescott and the rest of the Cowboys offense. But the production of George Pickens in his first season in Dallas has created a conversation of the Cowboys having the best wide receiver duo in the NFL. Pickens is averaging 84.9 receiving yards, while Lamb's contributing 81.8 yards per game. The Cowboys WR duo are two of seven wideouts to average 80-plus receiving yards per game this season. Prescott could be leaning on Lamb and Pickens throughout the night against a struggling Raiders defense.
2) Smith, Raiders looking to rebound
It will be 11 days since the last time Geno Smith and the Raiders took the field after a Thursday night loss to the Broncos. How will Smith look after suffering a quad contusion in Week 10? The Raiders signal-caller was not on the injury report for this week, but it's been a rough first season for Smith in Las Vegas. In two prime-time games this season, Smith and the Raiders offense are 0-2 and scoring an average of eight points with 203 total yards. Monday's matchup against a Cowboys defense allowing 397.4 yards per game allows Smith and Co. to turn things around. Ashton Jeanty is second among rookies with 547 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Jeanty has forced 47 missed tackles on runs this season, which ranks third in the NFL, according to Next Gen Stats. Meanwhile, Brock Bowers has returned to form after dealing with a knee injury earlier in the season. Despite missing three games, Bowers is tied among tight ends for the most games with 100-plus receiving yards (2). If the Raiders would like to snap their three-game skid, Smith has to get the ball to his playmakers to keep pace with the Cowboys offense.
3) Which defense will force turnovers on Monday night?
Monday's game will be the first time newly acquired Cowboys defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and linebacker Logan Wilson take the field. After trading Micah Parsons to Green Bay, the Cowboys defense entering Week 11 ranks 31st in points allowed per game (30.8) and total yards allowed per game (397.4). Dallas hopes its newest additions can stop the run and disrupt opposing quarterbacks. As for the Raiders, Maxx Crosby has been the consistent piece for the Silver & Black defense. Crosby leads the team with 13 tackles for loss, 10 QB hits and five sacks. Only Myles Garrett (17) and Brian Burns (15) have more tackles for loss than Crosby this season. The defensive unit that can create one or two turnovers on Monday night for its squad may be the one walking out of Las Vegas with a win.
Cowboys' Week 11 injury report
| Player | Game status | Thurs. practice | Fri. practice | Sat. practice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alijah Clark, S (ribs/illness) | QUESTIONABLE | LP | DNP | LP |
| Ajani Cornelius, T (knee/knee) | QUESTIONABLE | LP | LP | LP |
| Dante Fowler, DE (shoulder) | --- | LP | LP | FP |
| Malik Hooker, S (toe) | QUESTIONABLE | LP | LP | FP |
| DeMarvion Overshown, LB (knee) | --- | FP | FP | FP |
| Shavon Revel, CB (knee) | --- | FP | FP | FP |
| Tyler Smith, G (knee) | --- | LP | LP | FP |
| Solomon Thomas, DT (calf) | OUT | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Donovan Wilson, S (elbow/shoulder) | --- | LP | LP | FP |
| Perrion Winfrey, DT (back) | QUESTIONABLE | FP | FP | FP |
Raiders' Week 11 injury report
| Player | Game status | Thurs. practice | Fri. practice | Sat. practice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dylan Laube, RB (foot) | --- | --- | FP | FP |
| Cody Lindenberg, LB (Achilles) | --- | DNP | LP | FP |
| Tyler Lockett, WR (knee) | --- | LP | FP | FP |
| Aidan O'Connell, QB (right wrist) | OUT | FP | FP | FP |
| Dylan Parham, G (ankle) | --- | FP | FP | FP |
| Isaiah Pola-Mao, S (hip) | --- | FP | FP | FP |
If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.
For more information on mental health, visit www.mentalhealth.gov or call 1-800-273-TALK. Current and former NFL players/coaches can visit the league's Player Engagement website at www.nflplayerengagement.com
