Honoring a fallen teammate, the Cowboys face the Raiders in Vegas with new defensive stars debuting as Dallas battles grief and playoff hopes.
The Dallas Cowboys will somehow play on Monday Night, taking the field for the first time since 24-year-old defensive end Marshawn Kneeland was found dead Nov. 6 of an apparent suicide.
Dallas returns from a bye to face the Raiders on Monday Night Football in Las Vegas.
Cowboys helmets will carry a decal honoring Kneeland the rest of the season, and players will wear a special warm-up shirt before kickoff.
Owner and general manager Jerry Jones framed the moment nicely on 105.3 The Fan.
"His death is such a national awareness thing that it takes on some of that light when we think about how we go forward. From the standpoint of the team, from the standpoint of going back to work, there's no doubt in my mind that they will do so in memory of what he was all about. He was very unique in his zest for life, and he was very unique in his passion for the game."
"He’s only 24 years old. You think about all of the time that we’re going to miss him… He was just getting started.”
At 3-5-1 under first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer, Dallas likely needs a surge to avoid missing the playoffs for a second straight season.
Las Vegas is 2-7 under first-year coach Pete Carroll, still seeking traction with the Raiders after previous success in Seattle and at USC.
Dallas will also debut two deadline additions as it tries to fix the NFL's second-worst defense.
Standout defensive tackle Quinnen Williams arrives from the New York Jets alongside linebacker Logan Wilson from the Cincinnati Bengals.
Raiders rookie running back and Frisco Lone Star High School alum Ashton Jeanty called out the challenge of playing against the Cowboys' new DT.
"He's a game-wrecker, so we've got to be ready for him," Jeanty said of Williams.
Special teams could swing a tight game for either side. The Raiders fired coordinator Tom McMahon on Nov. 7 and promoted Derius Swinton II, but Carroll downplayed the schematic overhauls.
"It'll be a change for us in personality that I’m hoping will help us and make a difference… I'm hoping it motivates our players, too… We need to avoid the big errors… and that they'll rally behind this move. That doesn't mean that they don't love Tom. They do, so we'll see how this goes."
Schottenheimer said the only way forward is "one day at a time" after speaking at a private candlelight vigil on Tuesday.
He acknowledged that grief will hit the players in different ways.
"Some guys, getting out on the grass is going to be the best thing in the world for them. Some guys, getting out on the grass is going to be painful, and that's OK… these guys will be ready to play against the Raiders. And we will honor Marshawn with how we play, not just against the Raiders but for the rest of the season."
WHAT: Dallas Cowboys (3-5-1, 1-4 Road) at Las Vegas Raiders (2-7, 1-3 Home)
WHEN: Monday, Nov. 17, 2025 | 7:15 p.m. CT
WHERE: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV | Capacity: 65,000
TV: ABC | ESPN
RADIO: KRLD-FM 105.3 The Fan
BETTING ODDS (via ESPNBet)
SPREAD: DAL -3
TOTAL: 49.5
MONEYLINE: DAL -195 | LV +165