Blogging The Boys
The Cowboys were indeed threatening as the first quarter ended and made good on it shortly into the second.
After hitting George Pickens just out of bounds in the endzone, Dak Prescott found CeeDee Lamb in the heart of it.
SCORE: COWBOYS 10, RAIDERS 6 (Dak Prescott to CeeDee Lamb 18-yard touchdown)
The positive momentum continued for the Cowboys which is a strange thing to say given that they were on defense.
But this is a defense that now features Quinnen Williams and he got his first sack with a star on his helmet. It was epic.
The Raiders punted the ball and Dallas went to work. Serious work.
It was one of the best offensive drives we have seen from the Cowboys in some time. Dak Prescott looked fully and totally in control and CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens were in sync, maybe coach’s decisions are a good thing after all.
Jake Ferguson was the one who capped it off with a score to make everything feel great.
SCORE: COWBOYS 17, RAIDERS 6 (Dak Prescott to Jake Ferguson 5-yard touchdown)
It looked like things were going to break a little bit after this. The Raiders were marching and marching and hey, you can’t stop them every time.
But can you?
Geno Smith had a pass tipped and it found the hands of Markquese Bell for a Cowboys interception. Boom.
At this moment the previous two Cowboys possessions each ended in touchdowns and to different players in CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson.
This one followed that trend. Dak Prescott continued his form and so did George Pickens. That harmony made for the perfect scoring song.
SCORE: COWBOYS 24, RAIDERS 6 (Dak Prescott to George Pickens 37-yard touchdown)
Pickens was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct on the celebration (maybe a coach’s decision looms next week?!), but Brandon Aubrey nailed the extra point anyway.
The Raiders were able to grind out a field goal to end the half.
SCORE: COWBOYS 24, RAIDERS 9 (Daniel Carlson 38-yard field goal)
The Raiders won the toss and deferred which put the Cowboys offense on the field first.
Vegas had to be feeling great about that decision early on as the Cowboys went three and out to start the game. Matters seemed easy for them given that CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens were not on the field for Dallas which was strange. The ESPN broadcast noted as Dallas was taking the field for defense that Lamb and Pickens were absent due to a “coach’s decision” with an implication that it was some sort of disciplinary decision. We will see.
The Raiders were unable to do anything with the possession that they were effectively given. They punted it to the Cowboys who actually then gave them the ball. Well, Maxx Crosby took it away.
Thankfully the Cowboys defense buckled and held the Raiders to only a field goal. Still though, early on things felt a bit treacherous for the silver and blue...
