Raiders 36, Cowboys 33: My Top 10 Whitty Observations As Dallas Rips Refs

On a day dominated by turkey, dressing, 28 penalties and one gut-wrenching loss, we've got 10 observations ...

It's Raiders 36, Cowboys 33: My Top 10 Whitty Observations As Dallas rips the refs ...

10. THANKSGIVING HEARTBURN - Remember that "advantage" the Cowboys had playing on home the third Thursday in November? They've lost their last three on Thanksgiving to the Bills, Washington and Las Vegas.

"Proud of the way they fight,'' coach Mike McCarthy said of his team. "We talked about the officials last night .. this is the way they officiate. But we're going through a tough patch.''

"Tough patch,'' indeed.''

Bad officiating? Read on ...

9. SNOOZE YOU LOSE - Had an insightful point here but ... tryptophan. Let's just enjoy Tony Pollard's 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

8. GALLUP POLE - Receiver Michael Gallup is supposed to be a big part of Dallas' three-headed monster of receivers along with Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb. But with the other two out, Gallup has not exactly stepped up. The last two games Gallup has only eight catches (on 15 targets) for 86 yards and no touchdowns.

7. BIZARRE BRAWL - What kind of afternoon was it in Arlington? Early in the third quarter there was a fight between two players behind the bench, with ejections, a referee with a cut on his chin and the referee's microphone turned off during the whole dang explanation.

6. LET'S GET READY TO ... - Michael Buffer made a career - a fortune - out of the phrase he screamed before kickoff. Color us simultaneously jealous, impressed and nauseous.

5. LEAST OF THE WEST - Despite losing three of four and falling to 7-4, the Cowboys will still likely win the NFC East. But they won't win the AFC West. They are 1-3 against the division, including consecutive losses to the Broncos, Chiefs and Raiders.

4. LUKE WHO? - Not sure if the bearded, chubby guy with the guitar screaming about "cold beer" at halftime was Combs and Bryan or Skywalker, but we're aghast he was the Country Music Association's "entertainer" of the year.

3. AWFUL OFFICIATING - No way around it, this game was dominated - even decided - by poor calls by referees. The worst call was the roughing-the-passer penalty when Derek Carr's knee accidentally bumped into Micah Parson's hand. Shawn Hochuli,  referee son of Ed, and his penalty-happy crew threw 28 flags for a combined 276 yards. 

The Cowboys have been playing football since 1960. Never before have they been penalized as much as Thanksgiving's 166 yards.

Not saying it was a clean game. But no way was it that ugly.

Indeed, that was the theme of the Cowboys' postgame media visits. Owner Jerry Jones and coach Mike McCarthy both trashed the refs, McCarthy saying that Dallas prepared all week for, essentially, bad officiating, to play too large a role.

"We thought it might come down to a (bad-call) penalty,'' McCarthy said boldly.

2. BAD BROWN - Entering this game cornerback Anthony Brown had 0 penalties called on him this season. Today: 4. Including the key pass interference in overtime that ultimately set up Daniel Carson's 29-yard field goal. No other player has been called for more than two pass-interference penalties in a game this season.

In the end, both teams were handed 14 penalties each, and Dallas set a franchise record with 165 penalty yards.

1. LACK OF DAKURACCY - Dak Prescott's first career incompletion in overtime was a costly one. In New England in overtime a month ago, Dak rolled right and perfectly hit CeeDee Lamb with the game-winning touchdown. This afternoon on the game's crucial third down, Dak similarly rolled right but woefully underthrew - low and behind - an open Noah Brown. Before the incompletion, he was 20 of 20 in overtime. Instead of a first down, the Cowboys were forced to punt and ... Crappy Thanksgiving.

Sean Hardiman/USA Today Sports