LAS VEGAS – And in the end of a tumultuous, emotionally draining two weeks, the Cowboys, some crying, some with tears in their eyes, some managing a little laughter, ended this 15-day sojourn on their knees.
Some for prayer.
Some breathing a sigh of relief.
But the whole doggone bunch with mere seconds left to play in front of 62,625 here at Allegiant Stadium and certainly a curious national television and NFL audience, were kneeing out the Raiders.
Cowboys 33, Raiders not even this close 16.
Capt. Dak did the honors.
And what irony, Dak Prescott taking a knee four times on the final possession, that word the very part of the teammate they so dearly wanted to honor, Marshawn KNEEland.
Why, they have been trying to do so. To do all they could over the past week to display their love – and that's a word not usually spread around in a football locker room – for a teammate who out of nowhere committed suicide for reasons seemingly unknown, the Cowboys beginning this past Tuesday with an emotionally charged private memorial service at Ford Center.
There were the blue T-shirts they were wearing during pregame warmups with Marshawn's face on the front, 2001-2025, that Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer also intentionally wore during the game and to his postgame press conference. To the media, he thensaid not only of the victory but also of how this bunch – and let's include once again, players, coaches, trainers, strength and conditioning staff, the equipment crew, the doctors, front office, personnel department, player development, the video staff, you name it – "Galvanized us forever."
There are the No. 94 decals affixed to the back of their helmets forever the season more.
The empty locker, his, the one Marshawn Kneeland would have dressed in this night.
And credit to the Raiders and the NFL, another moment of silence before the game to remember the life of Marshawn Kneeland ending far too soon. And tell you what, these tear-welling moments don't seem to be drying up eyes anytime soon. Somehow you, too, feel the pain.
But this victory – one that just had to be willed, by all rights – ended a two-game losing streak and moved the Cowboys to 4-5-1. They've now moved up one spot to the 10th-best record in the NFC with still seven games to play, and as pointed out on Friday, with a challenging schedule staring them down. The 8-2 Eagles on a short week arrive on Sunday at AT&T Stadium with the 5-5 Kansas City Chiefs then four days later on Thanksgiving. And give that record no mind, Patrick Mahomes still is the quarterback.
Plus, let's not dimmish this victory since these are the now 2-8 Raiders, who suffered their fourth consecutive loss, the eighth in the last nine games and stretching their somewhat unfathomable streak during these offensive-minded NFL days to 30 straight games without ever scoring at least 30 points, but the first time in five games now scoring more than 10 … but barely.
And sure, this is just one game but wonder if those couple of national writers panning the Cowboys trade for Quinnen Williams would like to eat their words. Why, if you were not wearing blinders, you would have been hard pressed not to recognize No. 92 in the middle of what's been that underserved defense. Second Raiders possession, first play, the two trade acquisitions, ol' Q and Kenny Clark met Geno Smith in the backfield, the two defensive tacklessharing the sack.
Williams would register another, becoming only the fourth Cowboys player since sacks became an official statistic in 1982 to record 1½ sacks in his first franchise game, maybe a nod to
Ed "Too Tall" Jones seen in the Las Vegas scene over the past two days. That was not all for Williams, though, as he finished with four tackles, one TFL and five QB hits. His presence unleashed Clark, too, and Osa Odighizuwa (one sack, three QB hits) and another fine performance by Donovan Ezeiruaku (five tackles, two TFLs).
Cowboys defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton knew darn well what he was talking about upon Williams' arrival, having coached the big fella for the previous four seasons, the past three at a Pro Bowl-caliber level, saying, "He's a phenomenal person, a phenomenal player and a hard worker. I was telling Brian he's probably the most humble and hardest working top-threepick I've ever been around in my life. He just comes to work every single day with a hard-hat mentality."
Point taken, since remember Williams arriving during the bye, only practicing but three days, though pointing out late last week that he worked out on his own as if he was playing a game.
For all the offense did – 31 points, four consecutive touchdown possessions, George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb combining for 14 catches, 210 receiving yards and a touchdown apiece, and staking the Cowboys to a 10-6 second quarter lead, their first in the last nine quarters since the first possession of the Denver game – this defense held an opponent to not only a season-low 27 rushing yards, but for just the third time all year to less than 100 yards on the ground. In fact, the Cowboys were so strong up front, the Raiders nearly gave up running the ball, resorting to simply throwing dump-off passes to first-round draft choice Ashton Jeanty, the Cowboys willing to let them nibble with his six catches for just 27 yards.
Oh, and the defense chipped in a two-point safety, causing the eruption from a huge contingent of Cowboys fans chanting, "Let's go Cowboys! Let's go Cowboys!" as if this was a home game.
A new defense. Were you counting at home? Let's see. The two trade-deadline acquisitions, Williams starting and Logan Wilson playing 34 snaps at middle linebacker. Two veteran safeties back from injury, Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson starting. That's four additions. Then the return from injury lists from the start of the season, DeMarvion Overshown starting at linebacker and rookie Shavon Revel (19 snaps), both coming back from last year's torn ACLs.
No wonder upon establishing these six additions to the defense during pregame warmups, was told, "This is like a new defense," and Cowboys owner Jerry jones reiterated the same Tuesday morning on his 105.3 The Fan radio segment, saying, "That didn't look like the same bunch out there last night."
Well, with this six-pack, entirely new results and, again, I don't care if it was just the Raiders, this defense then did what should have done against this struggling bunch.
Two more points. Could not believe the Raiders thought they could cover Pickens in man. Guess they thought they needed to take away Lamb, but even in that effort, Lamb scorched them out of the slot while Pickens torched them for his 144 yards no matter who they tried covering him, to no avail. And to think, that twosome was benched the first possession of the game for breaking a team meeting rule sounds like.
Like a good parent, tough, Schottenheimer punished them for their misstep, and then hugged them both, saying he told them, "I love you, man."
And then, "loved" this moment. Dak on second-and-goal from the Vegas 2-yard line, gifted second-year receiver Ryan Flournoy, who ran what had to be considered an in-out veteran-quality route, with a touchdown pass. The opportunity was maybe intentional, Flournoy best friends with Marshawn. Warms your heart, no?
You know, the whole evening did. Not to be corny – OK, maybe a little – but what a deserving evening here in Vegas for a bunch of guys having to deal with a teammate's tragic death. And as I've said before, almost by osmosis, those of us around the team since a week ago Thursday when authorities found Marshawn's lifeless body, we felt the pain these guys were suffering from. The memorial service. The moments of silence. The T-shirts, decals, the empty locker. Just the memories.
And especially after practices on Thursday and Friday, these guys unafraid to pour out their hearts talking about the loss of Marshawn Kneeland, heeding Schotty's words about,"We're not moving on, we're moving forward."
On they marched, Dak most appropriately putting an end to these two tumultuous weeks on a victorious one knee.
