The Dallas Cowboys are back in action Monday night, taking on the Raiders in a Week 11 matchup at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
There are plenty of topics to follow in the showdown, including the Cowboys debut of players like Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson. Dallas (3-5-1) is currently on a two-game skid and hoping to return to the win column. Meanwhile, Las Vegas sits at 2-7 and has lost its last three contests.
What can we expect in the Monday night showdown? Our columnists and beat writers at The Dallas Morning News give their predictions:
Tim Cowlishaw
Cowboys
No doubt the folks connected with Monday Night Football were hoping for something more in a mid-November Cowboys-Raiders game than a matchup of teams with but five wins between them. But this is what they got. For Dallas, the schedule gets daunting following this rare trip to Las Vegas, so a victory is mandatory to even deserve any consideration as a long-shot wild card team in the NFC. Those hopes are already gone for the Raiders, whose offensive line is poor enough that Quinnen Williams should make a memorable enough debut for Dallas.
Cowboys 24, Raiders 21
Joseph Hoyt
Brian Schottenheimer set the tone Monday when he eloquently said that the Cowboys will move forward, not move on after the loss of Marshawn Kneeland. They plan to employ the same hustle and vigor that Kneeland had for every play. I think, ultimately, the Cowboys will play inspired against a Raiders team that’s struggled. I think the new defensive changes will show promise, but some initial vulnerabilities. Cowboys end up cruising to a win in Vegas.
Cowboys 35, Raiders 21
Damon Marx
The Cowboys have been a tough team to predict. How they move forward after the sudden death of teammate Marshawn Kneeland only adds more uncertainty. The offense has been inconsistent on the road. A defense that has been among the league’s worst will have new additions Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson, plus other reinforcements such as the return of DeMarvion Overshown from injury. Expect the Cowboys to play inspired football but ultimately fall short because of the same shortcomings that have plagued them all season.
Raiders 28, Cowboys 24
Abraham Nudelstejer
Monday Night Football prime time wasn’t created to showcase two teams stuck in month‑long losing streaks, yet that’s precisely what we get with Cowboys-Raiders. This matchup is less about star power and more about survival. Dallas enters as a slight favorite, powered by a sometimes good offense that often masks a shaky defense. Picking a winner between these two isn’t an easy task, but it’s the job I was called to do.
Cowboys 21, Raiders 20
Kevin Sherrington
The sudden, shocking loss of a teammate only makes a hard season even harder, not to mention making all of this seem trivial. But games go on and Marshawn Kneeland’s teammates move forward. The Raiders are in a no-win situation, but they’re used to that.
Cowboys 27, Raiders 24
Calvin Watkins
The Cowboys should handle business, not because of the emotions surrounding the loss of Marshawn Kneeland so much. They’re just a better team. Dallas’ defense gets a major boost with Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson and, hey, DeMarvion Overshown is back on the field. The struggles of the offense the last two weeks should subside as well.
Cowboys 20, Raiders 7
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