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(CBS DFW) — It’s been a unsmooth period for the Las Vegas Raiders (5-5) and Dallas Cowboys (7-3). The Raiders started November atop the AFC West, having flooded a scandal-induced coaching alteration to triumph 5 games connected the season. They haven’t won since. The Cowboys walloped the Atlanta Falcons a mates weeks ago. But bookending that awesome triumph are a implicit illness against the Denver Broncos and a partial illness against the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s unclear which Dallas squad volition amusement up connected Thanksgiving against the Raiders.
The high-scoring Cowboys offense failed to find the extremity portion successful Week 11, settling for 3 tract goals. That wasn’t enough. They mislaid 19-9 and gave backmost a crippled to the Philadelphia Eagles successful the part standings. Dak Prescott had a unsmooth afternoon, going 28-43 for 216 yards and 2 interceptions. He was sacked 5 times and spent overmuch of the crippled nether duress. Tight extremity Dalton Schultz caught six passes for 53 yards; Michael Gallup hauled successful 5 passes for 44 yards. Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard combined for 82 yards connected the ground.
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The lackluster violative showing tin beryllium explained to immoderate grade by injuries and COVID. Left tackle Tryon Smith was retired with an ankle injury. Wide receiver Amari Cooper tested affirmative for COVID, which prevented him from playing. Fellow wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was forced from the crippled with a concussion precocious successful the 2nd quarter. And moving backmost Ezekiel Elliott tweaked the injured genu that’s hampered him for overmuch of the season.
The Cowboys, erstwhile healthy, are 1 of the NFL’s amended offenses. They mean a league-leading 418.1 yards and a third-best 29.3 points per game. Their tally and walk games are some apical five. Much of their occurrence is owed to Prescott, but helium can’t bash it all. And it seems improbable he’ll person his afloat complement of weapons with the abbreviated week. Cooper is already connected the reserve/COVID-19 database and, being unvaccinated, volition beryllium retired until astatine slightest Sunday. Lamb has entered concussion protocol and seems improbable to wide it by Thursday. That leaves Michael Gallup, who himself lone precocious returned to the field, and Cedrick Wilson. Elliott played with the aggravated genu injury, which suggests helium could beryllium available.
The constricted Dallas discourtesy volition look a Raiders defence that played good capable to triumph for overmuch of past week’s game. Las Vegas was down 16-13 aboriginal successful the 4th quarter. Then the crippled slipped distant from them. Joe Burrow and institution enactment up 16 unanswered points to pb the Cincinnati Bengals to a 32-13 win. Ill-timed antiaircraft penalties helped support their drives alive. But the Las Vegas defence constricted Burrow to conscionable 20-29 passing, for 148 yards and a touchdown, connected the afternoon. They sacked him 3 times. The Raiders defence didn’t person an reply for Joe Mixon, who carried the shot 30 times for 123 yards and 2 TDs.
That’s been the communicative with this portion for overmuch of the season. They fertile among the NFL’s worst against the run, allowing 132.1 yards per game, and among the champion against the pass, allowing 220.8 yards.
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Their Cowboy counterparts person seen marked betterment arsenic the play has progressed. They unopen down the overmatched Atlanta Falcons successful Week 10. And that beardown play continued successful Week 11 against the always-dangerous Chiefs. After allowing 16 first-half points, the Dallas defence tightened up. The Chiefs’ adjacent 3 drives ended successful either a punt oregon a fumble. Their 10 full plays successful those bid netted conscionable 25 yards. A Jayron Kearse interception and different forced punt opened the 2nd half.
Patrick Mahomes went 23-37 for 260 yards and nary touchdowns connected the day. Linebacker Micah Parsons sacked him twice, tying the team’s rookie grounds with 8 connected the season. One of those sacks resulted successful a fumble and a alteration of possession successful Chiefs’ territory. The portion remains susceptible against the pass, allowing 251.9 yards passing per game, bully capable for mediate of the pack. They’re amended defending the run, giving up 103.7 yards per game. Though that debased mean is partially a relation of an discourtesy that sometimes jumps retired to a lead, forcing opponents to wantonness the tally game.
The Raiders discourtesy surely doesn’t privation to spot the Cowboys an aboriginal lead. But they are comfy relying connected the pass. Derek Carr has enactment up 3,041 yards connected the play truthful far, 3rd astir aft Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady. Tight extremity Darren Waller is his starring people successful presumption of yardage, with 610 connected the season. However, Hunter Renfro has besides been productive, peculiarly with the nonaccomplishment of Henry Ruggs III. He leads the squad with 56 receptions. For arsenic bully arsenic the passing crippled is, their crushed crippled has not been terribly productive. Josh Jacobs, their starring rusher, has 333 yards connected the play successful 88 attempts. He’s lone topped 50 yards successful a crippled twice.
The Raiders are present looking up astatine some the Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers successful the standings. They request to interruption retired of their slump soon if they privation to support gait successful the competitory AFC West. The Cowboys look little urgency successful the NFC East, with lone the Eagles presenting immoderate benignant of opposition. But they’ll beryllium looking to get their discourtesy going again successful Week 12.
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The Raiders play the Cowboys Thursday, November 25 @ 4:30 p.m. ET connected CBS.
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