Amid Penalties, Cowboys Trail Raiders At Half 17-13

Cowboys struggle in first half against the Raiders on Thanksgiving

The Dallas Cowboys were held out of the end zone for the entire game last week in Kansas City. They found they end zone twice against the Las Vegas Raiders in the first half on Thanksgiving, but still went into the break down 17-13 at AT&T Stadium.

While the Cowboys welcomed back offensive lineman Tyron Smith, who missed the last three games, Dallas was without receivers CeeDee Lamb (concussion) and Amari Cooper (COVID). That left Michael Gallup, Cedrick Wilson, Noah Brown and tight end Dalton Schultz as Dak Prescott's top receiving threats.

It was the Cowboys' defense that looked sketchy on Las Vegas' first drive of the game. After Dallas went three-and-out on its opening drive, the Raiders took advantage of Hunter Renfrow's 21-yard punt return. Three plays and 71 yards later, including a 56-yard pass  from quarterback Derek Carr to wideout DeSean Jackson, the Raiders were up 7-0.

Dallas would answer on its next possession, going 75 yards in nine plays, resulting in a Dak Prescott touchdown pass to tight end Sean McKeon. A missed Greg Zuerlein extra point would make the score 7-6.

Las Vegas broke through again later in the first quarter on an eight-play, 60-yard drive assisted by two Anthony Brown defensive pass interference calls. Josh Jacobs scored a 1-yard touchdown run that gave the visitors a 14-6 lead.

The Raiders would go up 17-6 on a 22-yard Daniel Carlson field goal after a 13-play, 74-yard drive with 8:46 left in the half.

Greg Zuerlein missed a 59-yard field goal that gave the Raiders the ball at the Dallas 49, but the Cowboys defense held.

The Cowboys started their next possession on their 14-yard line. On second-and-8, Prescott connected with Cedrick Wilson for 51 yards to the Las Vegas 33. Six plays later, Ezekiel Elliott would push through for a 1-yard scoring with 25 seconds left in the half. That drive went 86 yards in eight plays.

Good hole for Zeke. #Cowboys pull to 17-13 w 25 secs before half v #Raiders 8-play, 86-yd drive pic.twitter.com/miD2lav6F1

— fishsports ✭ (@fishsports) November 25, 2021

Missed tackles and penalties have plagued the Cowboys, who are guilty of six infractions for 65 yards. The Raiders were flagged five times for 49 yards.

The Raiders will have possession of the ball to start the second half.