Las Vegas, NV. November 14, 2025
Week 11 lights up Allegiant Stadium as the Las Vegas Raiders (2.7) welcome the Dallas Cowboys (3.5.1) for a Monday night showdown that both teams desperately need. The Raiders fight to stop a slide that has pushed their season to the brink. The Cowboys fight to regain identity and keep their playoff hopes alive. Under the Vegas lights, the urgency is unmistakable.
📺 WATCH. STREAM
National Broadcast: ESPN and ABC
Kickoff: Monday, November 17. 8:15 p.m. ET
Streaming Options:ESPN App and ESPN+ for nationwide streaming
NFL+ for mobile live games and full replays
FuboTV, YouTube TV and Hulu Live TV carrying ESPN
🏟 GAME INFO
Matchup: Dallas Cowboys (3.5.1) at Las Vegas Raiders (2.7)
Venue: Allegiant Stadium. Las Vegas, Nevada
Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. ET
The Raiders return home with a reshaped identity behind quarterback Geno Smith, who now leads an offense built on quick decisions and intermediate accuracy. The ground game features explosive rookie
Ashton Jeanty, supported by Zamir White and veteran Raheem Mostert.
Through the air, Las Vegas leans on a new receiving trio. Dont’e Thornton Jr. brings size and deep speed.
Tyler Lockett offers veteran savvy and route precision. Tre Tucker adds burst in the slot. At tight end, rookie star Brock Bowers remains the focal point for chain-moving plays and red zone matchups.
Up front, the Raiders start Stone Forsythe, Dylan Parham, Jordan Meredith, Alex Cappa and rookie DJ Glaze. Their ability to hold off Dallas’ interior rush and maintain a clean pocket will determine how often Smith can push the ball downfield.
Defensively, the Raiders still revolve around the relentlessness of Maxx Crosby, whose energy and leadership define the tone. He is paired with Tyree Wilson and Malcolm Koonce on the edge. The linebacker group includes
Devin White, Elandon Roberts and hybrid defender Jamal Adams, who rotates between box safety and OLB roles. The secondary features Darnay Holmes, Kyu Blu Kelly, Eric Stokes, with Jeremy Chinn and Isaiah Pola-Mao anchoring safety responsibilities.
The Cowboys travel to the desert behind quarterback Dak Prescott, whose season has been marked by inconsistency and flashes of brilliance. Dallas leans on
Javonte Williams to establish physicality on the ground, while their passing game centers on CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, a duo capable of overwhelming mismatches on the perimeter.
Slot weapon
KaVontae Turpin provides speed, and receivers Jonathan Mingo and Ryan Flournoy offer depth and size. Tight end Jake Ferguson remains Prescott’s most trusted target in tight windows.
Dallas fields one of the most intriguing young offensive lines in the league.
Tyler Guyton, Tyler Smith, Cooper Beebe, Tyler Booker and Terence Steele form a group that must handle Crosby’s chaos and the disguised fronts Las Vegas deploys on third down.
Defensively, the Cowboys rely on a feared interior tandem of
Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark, surrounded by rotational power from Dante Fowler Jr., Jadeveon Clowney, Donovan Ezeiruaku and Sam Williams. Their ability to collapse the pocket will dictate the pace. At linebacker, Logan Wilson, Kenneth Murray Jr. and DeMarvion Overshown bring range and physicality.
The Cowboys secondary includes DaRon Bland, Kaiir Elam, Reddy Steward in the slot and Trikweze Bridges as rotational support. Safeties
Donovan Wilson and Markquese Bell steady the back end.
🎧 LISTEN
Raiders Radio Network: Raider Nation Radio 920 AM and 92.3 FM
Cowboys Radio Network: KRLD 1080 AM and 105.3 The Fan
SiriusXM: Raiders Channel 226. Cowboys Channel 227
📰 POSTGAME COVERAGE
Full press conferences from Geno Smith, Dak Prescott, Antonio Pierce and Mike McCarthy will stream across ESPN platforms and team channels. Postgame highlights, breakdowns and locker room reactions will be available immediately after the final whistle.
💰 BETTING SNAPSHOT
| Category | Cowboys | Raiders |
|---|---|---|
| Spread | 4.5 | . |
| Moneyline | .210 | +180 |
| Over Under | 45.5 points |
Dallas enters as the slight road favorite. but Monday Night Football often brings chaos.
⚙️ KEY STORYLINESGeno Smith’s decision-making under heavy pressureMaxx Crosby vs a young Dallas offensive lineCeeDee Lamb and George Pickens challenging the Raiders secondary
Bowers’ usage against Dallas linebackers
Whether Dallas can play disciplined football in a high-noise primetime environment
🏈 SUMMARY
The Raiders fight for the spark that could save their season.
The Cowboys fight for direction and relevance.
Kickoff: Monday, November 17. 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC.
A desert stage. primetime lights. and two teams with everything to lose.
Pittsburgh, PA – September 27, 2025
Primetime football was meant to be about sacks, pressures, and Pittsburgh’s relentless defense. Instead, hours before kickoff, the Steelers’ biggest star became the center of a storm. Linebacker T.J. Watt refused to wear the rainbow Pride decal on his helmet—an NFL-wide initiative to support the LGBTQ community—and suddenly the spotlight shifted far beyond the gridiron.
When asked why, Watt didn’t hedge his words. “Football should be about football, nothing else. I’m not going to be forced into something I don’t believe in.” His response was firm, unapologetic, and within minutes it dominated sports talk shows and social media. To some, Watt stood as a man of principle. To others, his stance was divisive and damaging.
In Pittsburgh, the reaction mirrored the nation’s divide. Outside Acrisure Stadium, fans in Watt jerseys raised signs declaring “Football, Not Politics,” while others waved rainbow flags, determined to be heard. Inside, the energy was electric but uneasy, as if everyone knew this was more than a game.
The Steelers organization moved cautiously. Mike Tomlin struck his usual balance: “Our focus is on preparing for the game. We support the league’s initiatives, but we also recognize that players have individual voices.” Some teammates admitted the distraction was frustrating. Others quietly respected Watt’s willingness to stand firm.
For the NFL, the fallout was a public relations nightmare. Years of effort to align with social causes suddenly met open rejection from one of its biggest defensive stars. The league’s official statement reflected its bind: inclusivity is encouraged, but participation is voluntary. Disciplining Watt risked only amplifying the storm.
Online, the divide sharpened. Hashtags #StandWithWatt and #CutWattNow trended simultaneously, capturing the cultural clash. Conservative voices praised him for refusing to bend. Progressive commentators condemned him for alienating a vulnerable community. Advocacy groups called for sponsors to reconsider ties with Watt and the Steelers, pushing the story beyond football.
Watt, however, stood unshaken. Later in the week, he doubled down: “I respect everyone, but I’m not going to be forced into something I don’t believe in. My focus is football. I’ll always give everything for this team, but I won’t compromise my values.”
His words guaranteed the controversy would linger.Instead of talk about playoff pushes or defensive dominance, pregame shows debated the culture war swirling around Watt’s choice. The questions raised stretched beyond the NFL: should stars be obligated to amplify social causes, or does their freedom to abstain matter just as much?
For now, Steelers Nation is left to wrestle with those questions. What is clear is that Watt has placed himself at the heart of a national conversation, willingly or not. His play on Sundays may soften criticism, but his stance has already left its mark. Hero or villain, unifier or divider, Watt will be remembered for this moment. And in Pittsburgh, where toughness and loyalty define the city, the faithful will decide how his story is written. Stay tuned, Steelers Nation.
