Raiders-Cowboys Keys + Stokes’ Surprising Surge

The Raiders’ path to victory vs. Dallas, plus Eric Stokes’ resurgence.

Author

Jesse Merrick
November 17, 2025

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

"One, the attributes in terms of physical, like he's long, he's fast, he's physical, does a solid job tackling, so that stuff stands out. And then when he's presented with a one- on-one matchup or one on one challenge, he's done a good job of stepping up to the plate in terms of handling that. Playing penalty free for the most part, that's a big part of it too. And just his veteran leadership, as a joke, his nickname is E. They call him E and different stuff, like he's strictly business. Like, to me as an old school cat, EPMD strictly business."

— Patrick Graham, Raiders Defensive Coordinator, on CB Eric Stokes

In today’s newsletter, we’re breaking down the Raiders’ three biggest keys to beating the Cowboys on Monday Night Football — from slowing down Javonte Williams to unleashing Brock Bowers and avoiding game-costing special teams mistakes. Plus, we dive into cornerback Eric Stokes’ resurgence and why he’s quietly become one of the Raiders’ most reliable defenders this season.

HOW TO FIX THE RAIDERS OFFENSE

Before we turn the page to tonight’s matchup, make sure you check out the latest episode of the Silver & Black Sports Network Podcast linked above. In this one, I break down exactly what’s gone wrong with the Raiders’ offense — from Chip Kelly’s play-calling issues to the misuse of Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty — and lay out the adjustments Vegas has to make if they want any shot against a struggling but still dangerous Cowboys defense. I also hit the key matchups to watch on Monday Night Football and dive into our Raiders Rounders picks for the week with our buddy Matt Perrault. If you want the full blueprint for how the offense can get back on track, this episode is your pre-game must-watch.

ERIC STOKES A BRIGHT SPOT IN THE SECONDARY

Photo Courtesy: Arnie Bazemore/Fan Shotz

Through the first ten weeks of the season, the Raiders have been a middle of the road pass defense. They’re 16th in the league in passing yards allowed per game. They’ve also rotated a pair of young cornerbacks in Kyu Blu Kelly and rookie Darien Porter who have both seen their share of growing pains.

Opposite them, Eric Stokes has quietly had a great season so far. His minus-36.2% coverage DVOA is 4th in the league, he has a 65% success rate in coverage, has allowed just 4.3 yards per reception when he’s targeted, and has allowed a completion rate of 58.6% on 29 targets.

We caught up with Stokes this week and he said he feels he’s playing the best ball of his career right now. Watch our full interview with Eric in the Raiders locker room below to hear why he thinks things have clicked for him, and his thoughts on matching up with his former teammate at Georgia, George Pickens this week.

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WHO’S IN, WHO’S OUT?

MISS ANYTHING?

Catch up on some of our recent stories:

What’s Wrong With the Raiders Offense? + Cowboys Deep Dive

— Offensive issues, JPJ’s replacement, Cowboys preview & our best bets — all inside.

Is Chip Kelly on the Hot Seat? Breaking Down the Raiders’ TNF Collapse in Denver

— The Raiders’ offense sputtered again on Thursday night — we’re breaking down what went wrong, how the Broncos bottled up Brock Bowers, and where things stand with Jackson Powers-Johnson.

RAIDERS ROUNDERS

THE BEST BETS OF THE WEEK FOR THE COWBOYS VS. RAIDERS GAME

Photo Courtesy: Arnie Bazemore/Fan Shotz

We included Raiders Rounders in our Friday edition of the newsletter but since the game is tonight I wanted to include the segment again to give you another chance to mull over Matt’s picks and decide whetherer or not you want to get in on the action tonight.

In case you missed it on Friday, or you’re new here, every week I team up with Matt Perrault (The Bostonian vs The Book, The Daily Juice) to spotlight the best Raiders bets of the week and a few smart plays from around the NFL. Think of it as the perfect mix of insider football talk and betting insight, giving you a sharper look at how Vegas views the Silver & Black — from player props to game lines — and where the edges might be heading into Sunday (or Monday night).

With that in mind, here are our best plays for the Raiders’ Week 11 matchup against the Cowboys:

  • Cowboys -3.5: Matt really likes the Cowboys and thinks they’ll cover, and then some.

  • Tyler Lockett over 27.5 rushing/receiving yards: I like this play, too. Tyler led all Raiders receivers with six targets last week and actually hauled in five of them for 44 yards. Geno’s got history with him and trusts him a lot. Plus, the Cowboys defensie backs have struggled this year, and they actually surrender the most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers.

  • Brock Bowers anytime TD: Matt’s moving off the Jeanty anytime TD this week, mostly because of the injuries up front and the Cowboys’ defensive line with the addition of Quinnen Williams.

Matt went three-for-three last week, cashing in on the Raiders at +9.5, the under on the points (42.5), and he hit on Ashton Jeanty anytime TD, too. We’ll see if he can keep it rolling into Week 2.

To watch the full Raiders Rounders segment, including Matt’s best bets of the rest of the NFL slate of games, check out our latest posdcast here.

⚠️ Disclaimer: Raiders Rounders is all about sharing our perspective on the game. These aren’t betting recommendations — any wagers you place are 100% your responsibility. Bet responsibly.

WHAT’S NEXT?

The Raiders hit the field tonight at Allegiant Stadium to take on the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football.

So keep an eye out for our postgame reaction episode of the Silver & Black Sports Network Podcast dropping after we’re done in the locker room after the game.

Catch ya next time,

Silver & Black Sports Network is an independent media outlet. We are not affiliated with, endorsed, or sponsored by the Las Vegas Raiders or the NFL.

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