Silver And Black Pride
The 31st-ranked offense versus the 31st-ranked defense under the Monday night primetime lights.
That’s likely not the Week 11 marquee matchup NFL schedule makers wanted, but 11 weeks into the 2025 season, that’s the basic gist of the Las Vegas Raiders playing host to the Dallas Cowboys.
We’ll see Chip Kelly’s Raiders offense — scoring a meager 139 total points (31st amongst the 32 teams) — clashing with Matt Eberflus’ Cowboys defense — allowing a staggering 277 total points (31st among the 32). Las Vegas is averaging just 15.4 points per game (just slightly ahead of the Tennessee Titans who are dead last in scoring offense at 130 points and an average of 14.4 points per game heading into Week 11 action). Dallas is allowing an average of 30.8 points per game (just ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals who’ve allowed a league-high 300 points and 33.3 points per game average).
So if you want to dub this the “Somethings Gotta Give” Bowl, it’d be apt.
How Kelly attacks Eberflus on third downs and in the red zone looms large and likely dictates how Monday night’s contest plays out.
Getting granular: The Cowboys are dead last in limiting third-down conversions. Out of 116 situations so far, the opposition gained a first down on 61 of those occasions for a 52.6 percent conversion rate. Eberflus’ defense are ranked 29th in defending the red zone. Of the 36 times opponents have entered the area between the 20-yard line and end zone, Dallas allowed a touchdown 25 of those occasions for a 69.4 percent conversion clip.
To give you a visual representation of this, take a look at the clip below:
Las Vegas would be wise to go aerial when attacking Dallas’ defense inside the 20-yard line. Of the most recent 20 red zone touchdowns out of the total of 20 the Cowboys have allowed, 14 were passing scores compared to just six rushing touchdowns.
In Dallas’ two most recent outings — a 44-24 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 8 and a 27-17 defeat to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 9 (Dallas had a bye in Week 10) — the team allowed six red zone touchdowns: Four passing, two rushing.
So if there’s ever an opponent to have a get-right/bounce back effort from even a struggling Raiders offense, it’s against the Cowboys.
Kelly conducts the an offense that ranks 15th on third-down conversions — 44 of 112 (39.3 percent) — but is in lower run of NFL rankings in the red zone at 11 touchdowns on 23 visits (47.8 percent). That’s good for 28th in the league.
So while going through the air is wise — paging tight end Brock Bowers and to an extent, veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett — it doesn’t mean Kelly should forgo the run altogether in the money zone. Of course, pass protection and run blocking are vital, but overall execution is integral. Getting rookie running back Ashton Jeanty carries and even receptions...
