The Las Vegas Raiders’ 33-16 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night wasn’t officially over until the final whistle, but it didn’t take long to see where it was headed. Las Vegas folded early and eventually dropped its eighth game of the season (and wasted another great effort from Maxx Crosby in the process).
Early collapse sets the tone…
Crosby briefly offered hope, forcing Dak Prescott to fumble and giving the Raiders the ball at the Dallas 15-yard line in a scoreless game. But the offense immediately stalled. After a sack on first down, quarterback Geno Smith missed Tre Tucker in the end zone, and Las Vegas settled for a field goal—an ominous preview of what the night would become.
If the Raiders can’t capitalize on momentum created by Crosby, the heart and soul of the team, what real chance do they have?
No help for the Lone Star on the Raiders’ defense…
Crosby delivered a gift. The Raiders couldn’t cash it in. His relentless play continues to carry the defense, yet both units around him offer little support. Late in the first half, when Cowboys receiver George Pickens broke free for a score, Maxx Crosby was double-teamed—as he often is—and no one else generated pressure. The secondary’s breakdown gave Pickens a free path to the end zone.
Crosby’s production should make life easier for the rest of the defensive front. The organization tried to bolster that group by drafting Tyree Wilson two years ago, but that investment has yet to pay off. Malcolm Koonce once looked poised to take a leap, but a past injury seems to have halted his progress.
The failure to surround Crosby with legitimate help has spanned multiple Raiders regimes. Current general manager John Spytek spent draft capital on defensive linemen, including fourth-rounder Tonka Hemingway. He’s usually inactive; on Monday, he recovered Crosby’s forced fumble but recorded no other stats.
The offensive struggles were no better…
The run game, nonexistent for most of the season, was abandoned entirely. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly called just three rushing plays in the first half and only eight total for 13 yards. Pete Carroll said afterward he wanted more play-action, and while it worked in flashes, the imbalance proved costly.
Predictably, Smith spent much of the night under pressure. The offensive line, already thin due to injuries, has been ineffective all season—in both pass protection and run blocking. Injuries don’t explain a unit that has consistently failed to keep the offense afloat.
And so the burden returns to Maxx Crosby, who continues to play at an elite level for a team with no clear direction. If he had meaningful help on either side of the ball, this season might look different. Instead, hope feels distant in Las Vegas. The question now is whether this new regime can finally build a competent roster around its lone star—or whether Crosby will want to endure yet another rebuild.
Related: 3 Overreactions Following Another Raiders’ Loss
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images