Cowboys secure win over Raiders in first game since Marshawn Kneeland death

On a night filled with mourning, Dallas Cowboys honored their late teammate Marshawn Niland with the victory.

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer kept his eyes closed, as did many other players on the sideline during the national anthem in Las Vegas, and wore a T-shirt in honor of Niland, the 24-year-old player who committed suicide earlier this month. Schottenheimer and the Cowboys haven't played since Nov. 3 as they had a Week 10 bye, and the group has been sick since the news broke three days after their Monday Night Football loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

Both teams held a moment of silence for Niland before kickoff, then the Cowboys came out and dominated the match. Las Vegas Raiders33-16 to get back in the win column this season.

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The Cowboys' defense, which had struggled for much of the season, flew all over the field and thwarted the Raiders' offense, led by quarterback Geno Smith, who was sacked four times in the team's eighth loss of the season. Rookie Quinnen Williams, acquired from the New York Jets before the NFL trade deadline, tallied 1.5 sacks in his Cowboys debut, while fellow defensive end Kenny Clark added half a sack. James Houston and Osa Odighizuwa each recorded a sack in the win.

In attack Dak Prescott and company prepared as the veteran quarterback threw for four touchdowns for 268 yards.

It was an interesting start for Dallas, which came within three to leave the game in a series without CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. ESPN reporter Lisa Salters said on “Monday Night Football” that it was the coach's decision to start the star receivers for the first game.

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Things didn't improve when Maxx Crosby sacked Prescott on the next drive, although the Cowboys defense was able to hold the Raiders to just three points on a turnover in their own red zone.

When Pickens and Lamb entered the game after those series, they immediately went to work.

Both receivers scored touchdowns, with Lamb scoring first on Prescott's 18-yard strike on the team's third drive. Then, after Prescott found tight end Jake Ferguson, Pickens forced several defenders to miss on an impressive 37-yard interception into the end zone to open the game up 24-6 near the end of the first half.

Pickens was excellent in Sin City, collecting nine receptions for 144 yards and a touchdown, leading all players in both categories. Lamb finished with five receptions for 66 yards, and Javonte Williams passed the ball 22 times for 93 yards on the ground.

Smith, meanwhile, was under pressure throughout, but still managed to go 27 of 42 for 238 yards, throwing one pass to Tre Tucker in the fourth quarter. Tucker finished with four catches for 47 yards.

Tight end Brock Bowers did his best to spark the Raiders, catching seven of his 12 targets for 72 yards. But it was a tough approach all night, with rookie running back Ashton Ginty having just six carries for seven yards.

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In fact, the game-clinching play for Dallas came when the defense stopped Jinty in the Raiders' end zone for a safety. It was a 31-16 game with plenty of time left in the fourth quarter, but the Cowboys slammed the door from there.

The Cowboys, now 4-5-1, will continue to move forward despite the tragedy that rocked their locker room. They return home for an NFC East showdown with the Philadelphia Eagles next week at AT&T Stadium, where they look to start a winning streak.

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