Are Young Dallas Cowboys Stars READY to Turn the Season Around In Bounce-Back Game vs. Raiders?

Summary

Locked On Cowboys & Locked On Raiders: Are Young Dallas Cowboys Stars READY to Turn the Season Around In Bounce-Back Game vs. Raiders?

Date: November 13, 2025
Hosts: Marcus Mosher (Locked On Cowboys), Q (Your Boy Q - Locked On Raiders)
Episode Focus:
A preview of the Monday Night Football matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders, with an emphasis on young stars, organizational dysfunctions, and what’s at stake in a season that hasn’t gone according to plan for either franchise.

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Episode Overview

This crossover podcast episode brings together insights from Locked On Cowboys and Locked On Raiders, focusing on the underwhelming seasons both teams have endured, the evaluation of young talent in the midst of adversity, and key matchups for the upcoming Monday night game. The hosts discuss coaching upheavals, roster challenges, and the urgency for both franchises to identify building blocks for the future.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. State of Both Franchises (02:03–04:50)

• Both teams are struggling and find themselves in evaluation mode going into Week 11.
• Raiders:
  • Now at 2-7, they’re "all about evaluation season" with an eye to see if their recent draft class (coordinated by GM John Spytek) has any foundational pieces.
  • Young players like Jack Bech and Dante Thornton Jr. must step up with injuries and departures thinning the roster.
  • Notable Quote:
    • "Now I think at this stage of the game, really the rest of the season, it's all about who's going to be what for this Raiders team now and in the future." – Q (03:36)
• Cowboys:
  • Also under a first-year head coach (Pete Carroll) and in the same evaluation trap, especially on defense, after a dismal first half of the year.
  • New defensive additions Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson are expected for their debuts to see if they can stabilize the unit.

2. Offensive and Defensive Lines: Youth and Vulnerability (04:50–06:27)

• The Raiders’ offensive line is a mix of inexperience and injury; rookie Caleb Rogers will likely make his first start against Quinnen Williams ("welcome to the NFL moment").
• The Cowboys’ defensive line is seen as an opportunity for Quinnen Williams to "make a huge impression" in his Dallas debut, especially facing an injury-ridden Raiders O-line.
  • Notable Quote:
    • "This is going to be really an interesting test... Hey, Caleb Rogers, welcome to the NFL. Here you go. This dude named Quinnen Williams across from you." – Q (05:37)

3. Quarterback and Offensive Coordinator Issues in Las Vegas (06:27–09:28)

• Geno Smith was brought in to "stabilize" QB but has struggled; questions loom about when to give snaps to Kenny Pickett or Aidan O’Connell if Smith continues to turn the ball over.
• Offensive disconnect: Chip Kelly’s play-calling is under scrutiny, particularly the sporadic usage of top talent like Brock Bowers.
• Organizational dissonance: Confusion over who made key hirings like Pete Carroll, Chip Kelly, and Geno Smith—a clear sign the Raiders front office and coaching staff lack cohesion.
  • Notable Quote:
    • "It doesn't seem like everyone is on the same page. And as you know, that's the biggest issue. If your team's not on the same page, it's not going to be successful." – Q (09:28)

4. Similar Dysfunction in Dallas (09:53–10:44)

• Dallas’ defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus was reportedly not Brian Schottenheimer’s choice, echoing the lack of organizational unity seen in Las Vegas.
• The Cowboys’ disastrously performing defense has fans and media alike evaluating Eberflus’s fitness for the job.
  • Notable Quote:
    • "Now that the defense has performed so poorly in the first half of the year... it's really up to Eber Flutes to show that he can hold on to this job." – Marcus Mosher (10:31)

5. Key Matchups to Watch (14:08–18:43)

• Raiders O-Line vs. Cowboys D-Line:
  • The focus is on how rookie RG Caleb Rogers manages against disruptive force Quinnen Williams.
• Coaching Chess Match:
  • Schottenheimer (Cowboys) vs. Pete Carroll (Raiders) is a matchup with a personal edge, as Carroll previously fired Schottenheimer in Seattle. How will Schottenheimer reinvent the Cowboys’ offense post-bye?
• Wide Receivers vs. Young Corners:
  • Can Dallas’s CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens exploit a talented but inconsistent Raiders secondary?
    • "CD Lamb and George Pickens are really good one, two punch...in the National Football League in general." – Q (18:16)
• Brock Bowers’ Usage (19:45–21:26):
  • The Cowboys’ battered secondary creates a prime opportunity for Las Vegas to feature Bowers, but Chip Kelly has underused him.
    • "They didn't target him one time in the second half against Denver. That's unexcusable. That's non negotiable." – Q (20:43)
    • "As a Cowboy fan, you're going to be happy every time Geno Smith drops back and throws the football to anybody else but Brock Bowers." – Marcus Mosher (21:01)

6. Keys to Victory (23:56–29:22)

Raiders

• Stop Beating Themselves:
  • Penalties and unforced errors have been killers; "get out of their own way" is the mantra.
    • "The biggest key for the Raiders is not beating the Raiders...They can't keep shooting themselves in the foot." – Q (25:11)
• Special Teams Woes:
  • After firing their coordinator (“Atomic Man”), any spark from this oft-overlooked unit could be a game changer.
• Max Crosby Must Dominate:
  • With little help from other pass rushers, Crosby must “wreck the game” for Las Vegas to have a defensive impact.

Cowboys

• Start Fast, Play with a Lead:
  • Dallas struggles when trailing, so a quick start is crucial.
    • "It's all about the game script...when they get behind, things just start to feel rushed and panicked." – Marcus Mosher (25:29)
• Special Teams Advantage:
  • The Cowboys’ special teams unit is a strength, with Brandon Aubrey and Kevontae Turpin highlighted as difference-makers.
• Don’t Let Crosby Take Over:
  • Keep Max Crosby neutralized with help and chips; the defense feeds off his energy.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Q on Raiders’ struggles and focus:
  "It's all about evaluation season...who fits, what doesn’t fit. Can they work out the kinks?" (02:18)
• Marcus Mosher on defensive evaluation:
  "Can this unit be better? They've been awful in the first half of the year." (03:41)
• Q on organizational dysfunction:
  "It doesn't seem like everyone is on the same page...that's the biggest issue." (09:28)
• Q on Brock Bowers’ underuse:
  "He should get targeted when he's not even in the game...That's unexcusable. That's non negotiable." (20:12, 20:43)
• Marcus Mosher on game script:
  "When they get behind, things just start to feel rushed and panicked and the defense can't get stops and the offense is now pressing." (25:29)
• Q on Raiders' need to be mistake-free:
  “First and foremost, for the Raiders to have any chance...they cannot make the mistakes. They can't keep shooting themselves in the foot.” (25:23)

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Timestamps of Important Segments

• State of franchises & evaluation mode: 02:03–04:50
• Youth and offensive line concerns: 04:50–06:27
• Quarterback and OC turmoil for Raiders: 06:27–09:28
• Organizational discord in both teams: 09:28–10:44
• Key matchups breakdown: 14:08–21:26
• Keys to victory for Raiders & Cowboys: 23:56–29:22

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Episode Tone and Takeaways

Both hosts keep it candid and light, mixing football analysis with inside jokes and shared memories, all while painting a realistic picture of disappointment and cautious optimism. The episode is a must-listen for fans wanting a pulse check on two storied franchises searching for answers, leadership, and glimmers of hope—both through their young players and overdue changes on the coaching staff.

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Quick Summary Table

| Segment | Raiders | Cowboys | |------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------| | Franchise focus | Young player evaluation | Defensive turnaround, youth evaluation | | Offensive line status | Inexperience, injuries, rookie RG | New talent on D-line, hope for Quinnen Williams’ impact | | Quarterback situation | Geno Smith, shaky, evaluation | Stability on O, wanting defensive improvement | | Coaching issues | Chip Kelly under scrutiny | Eberflus' future as DC in doubt | | Key skill players | Brock Bowers underused, need more | CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens vs. young corners | | Victory path | Minimize mistakes & penalties | Fast start, special teams, contain Max Crosby |

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For fans of either franchise, this episode is a nuanced, honest discussion about the crossroads at which both teams find themselves—and the young stars who might help turn things around, starting Monday night.

Transcript

[Q]

It's the Locked On Podcast Network. Your team every day.

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[Marcus Mosher]

The Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders are two historic franchises that are in rough spots right now. They'll meet on Monday Night Football.

[Locked On Podcast Network Announcer]

You are Locked on NFL Crossover part of the Locked On Podcast network. Your team every day.

[Marcus Mosher]

Welcome back to this crossover edition of the Lockdown Cowboys and Lockdown Raiders podcast part of the Lockdown Podcast Network. Now the number one sports podcast network. Your team every day and crossover Thursday is presented by Prize Picks. Download the Prize Picks app today. Use promo code Loton NFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first five dollar lineup.

[Q]

Welcome back.

[Marcus Mosher]

I am your host Marcus Mosher. He is your boy Q from Laton Raiders. And on today's show we're previewing this Monday Night Football matchup between the Cowboys and Raiders, two teams that are in a a rough spot right now. What's the biggest storyline in Las Vegas right now?

[Q]

Well, now that the Raiders are sitting there at 2 and 7 and I think we kind of know what kind of season it is. It's, it's all about evaluation season and, and who's going to be with this team moving forward and what, what pieces do they have to build on? It's a lot of, you know, who fits what doesn't fit. Can they work out the kinks? Look, the offense hasn't seemed like it's been on the same page with the head coach and I mean, really Chip Kelly as far as offensive coordinator and being on the same page with Pete Carroll, it just hasn't seemed like that they've been on the same page really throughout the course of the season. And now that Jacobe Myers is gone, now you're looking at some young guys to step up. You know, can a Jack best step up, second round pick out of TCU Canada, Dante Thornton Jr. Step up, fourth round pick out of Tennessee, you know, and then you lose Jackson Powers Johnson. So he was your second round pick, your right guard from a year ago. And now all of a sudden you have a guy like Caleb Rogers, a third round pick out of Texas Tech. He's looking like he's going to get his first start on, on Monday against the Cowboys. So it's really about young pieces, seeing what works, what doesn't work. If these guys fit, if this draft class that John Spitek put together as the GM of the Raiders and if this was a really good, productive draft class, because honestly, outside of Astro Gentee, you really haven't seen much from this draft class. So now I think at this stage of the game, really the rest of the season, it's all about who's going to be what for this Raiders team now and in the future.

[Marcus Mosher]

And the Cowboys are in the same spot, right? They've got a first year head coach just like the Raiders do with Pete Carroll. Now, obviously he's been a head coach before, but it, it's awful to be in evaluation mode going into week 11. But unfortunately this is where Dallas and Las Vegas are and this is where they both were at last year. And what you want to just see is positive momentum in the second half of the year, have some of the young players step up. Like we know what Tyler Lockett is for the Raiders. We don't really need to see Tyler Lockett in a, in a big role. You want to see Dante Thornton and Jack Besh start to get more opportunities. And the same is true in Dallas. I mean, they're in a little bit different spot on offense where the offense is, is very young and they're under contract. But on defense, can this unit be better? I mean, they've been awful in the first half of the year. This will be Quinn and Williams's first game with the team. Same with Logan Wilson. Do those two guys make this defense respectable? I mean, I, they're not going to be good. I'm trying to find the right word and I know the Raiders have been in this situation before. You're, you're just Trying to find out who are the five or six guys on defense that you feel good about going into the offseason so you don't have to completely rehaul the entire unit.

[Q]

Yeah, no, that's a great point. And I'll tell you what, man, Quinn Williams, I was a big fan of his coming out of Alabama when the jets were able to draft him number three overall. I think that he's licking his chops for Monday night. I really do. Because this Raiders offensive line has been very suspect all season long. Right. They've been trying to find the right parts to fit. And as I mentioned, with JPJ going down, Colton Miller's already down. So now you have, you know, just a mixed match of guys that are going in. As I mentioned, Caleb Rogers, the rookie getting his first opportunity to play. And oh, by the way, you got this dude named Quinn Williams across from you. So this is going to be really an interesting test. Jordan Meredith has been a, you know, a, a, A really a project at the center position for the Raiders this year. So I think Quinn and Williams is really going to try to make a huge impression on this, on this Cowboys defense and just really make a, a big statement on Monday Night Football. The biggest stage, obviously in Las Vegas, it's be to going to be a lot of fun, but man, you want to talk about a challenge and you want to talk about a hey, Caleb Rogers, welcome to the NFL. Here you go. This dude named Quinn Williams across from you. So yeah, it's going to be, that's going to be really intriguing on Monday night.

[Marcus Mosher]

I covered the Raiders in 2019 for USA Today during that draft and I just remember it was Kyler Murray, Nick Bosa, Quinn and Williams and it's like, oh, there it's a huge drop off at pick number four. I don't think we knew it was going to be that big with Cleveland Farrell, but good times. We're reminiscing about the, the Raiders draft classes under Mike Mayock and John Gruden. Let's talk about the quarterback situation right now in Las Vegas. The the Raiders brought in Geno Smith to help stabilize that position after Aiden o', Connell, Gardner Minshew, Derek Carr's app, you know, departure several years ago. Yeah, it's been pretty rough, hasn't it?

[Q]

Yeah, it has, it has. It's been everything but stable. Right. And you're right, that's what they brought Geno Smith in for. They looked at the draft class and said, hey, this is not a very draft class when it comes to the quarterback position. So let's not force it. So they went and got Geno Smith, someone that Pete Carroll's very comfortable with and familiar with, but it just hasn't been there. And look, a lot of it goes back to the struggles of the offensive line. You know, when he snaps the ball, he's looking at the protection immediately as a, as opposed to looking down the field. He's tried to, you know, force the ball into situations that aren't there and that's why he's had so many turnovers so far this season. It's just, again, it just hasn't worked. He hasn't really been willing to use his legs like I thought he was going to be willing to do. It just has not worked out the way that I envision this Raiders offense looking under Gino Smith. And so now you start to talk about, all right, it's evaluation season. At what point do you look at Kenny Pickett, who they gave up a fifth round pick to Cleveland to bring in? At what point do you maybe bring Aiden Oconnell back? You know, once he gets put back onto the 53 man roster as his 21 day window is open right now to come back from injuries. So, you know, there's a couple different options that they have at that quarterback position. I'll be honest, I think they're going to try to ride with Gino a little bit longer. But I mean, if he goes out there Monday night and has a couple more bad turnovers and just a bad performance, at what stage of the game do you say, okay, we got to stop the bleeding and try to put someone else in there to see what they, they bring to the table. So wouldn't be surprised to see Kenny Picket or Aiden Oconnell sooner rather than later. I don't think it's going to be this week, but the quarterback position for the Raiders has been everything but stable since has been with the Raiders.

[Marcus Mosher]

I want to ask you about going back to the evaluation process. Chip Kelly is the offensive coordinator with the Raiders right now. He's, I believe is the highest paid offensive coordinator in the league. How much of the second half of the year is just even evaluating Chip Kelly? Because, you know, as somebody who like watched that Bronco Raider game last last week voluntarily.

[Q]

Sorry.

[Marcus Mosher]

Yeah, I know. It was, it was interesting to see Brock Bowers being used so infrequently. I mean, a lot of first and second downs. He wasn't even on the field. I think he had three targets in that game.

[Q]

Yeah.

[Marcus Mosher]

Is there a concern from Raiders Nation that maybe Chip Kelly isn't the right guy for the this job?

[Q]

Yeah, I think so. And I think that that's fair. And it's funny because when he got hired, I was excited. I'm thinking, man, okay, this guy, you know, just won a national championship at Ohio State. He's a very creative offensive mind. We know what he was as a head coach in the National Football League. But you don't have to be a head coach. All you got to do is be the offensive coordinator. So I thought this was going to be really good. Knowing that they had Brock Bowers, knowing that they drafted Ash, JTI bringing in Gino Smith, I'm thinking, okay, they've got some weapons here. This is going to be a fun offense to watch. And again, it's. It's been everything but that. And I do think that Chip Kelly is going to be under some scrutiny and really paying attention to what he's doing down the stretch. But the big problem is, how do you get a proper evaluation when you don't have your offensive line intact, when your quarterback is struggling, when now you have.

[Marcus Mosher]

That's. But that's a front office issue, right? You can't go into the year without Kappa as a. You know, and then you're moving JPJ all around and center guard, and then he's benched. Some weeks, it seems like it's just a. It seems like the front office and the coaching staff just isn't on the same page.

[Q]

Thank you. I've been saying that for weeks. I've been saying that for weeks. And that's. That's the big question now. Who brought in Chip Kelly? Who hired Pete Carroll? Who brought in Gino Smith? Like, there's a lot of conversations about, you know, maybe Pete Carroll was Mark Davis's guy and Chip Kelly was Tom Brady's guy, and, you know what I mean? It's just. It doesn't seem like everyone is on the same page. And as you know, that's the biggest issue. If your team's not on the same page, it's not going to be successful.

[Marcus Mosher]

Well, and the same is true for Dallas. Matt Eber Fluss is the Cabos defensive coordinator. He was a head coach with Chicago. We know how that worked out. And then when the Cowboys announced the Brian Schottenheimer hiring, it was on late on a Friday night. It was like, minutes afterwards that Matt Eberflse was announced to be the defensive coordinator without any real process of, you know, figuring out who this defensive coordinator is going to be. And some of the whispers are that this was Jerry Jones and Steven Jones's hire and not Brian Schottenheimer. And now that the defense has performed so poorly in the first half of the year, I think everybody's just evaluating. Hey, is Eber Flu the right guy for the job? They've been atrocious on that side of the ball and I think now that they have some more talent, it's really up to Eber Flutes to show that he can hold on to this job. So again, this is, it's not the sexiest Monday night matchup outside of it being the Raiders.

[Q]

It looks good on paper. It looks fantastic on paper.

[Marcus Mosher]

Well, it doesn't. The jerseys are going to look great as always. Right. But we're, we're in a spot where kind of looking ahead to 20, 26 and beyond.

[Q]

Yeah, it's unfortunate, it really is because I know a lot of people were excited about this Monday Night Football matchup when it hit the schedule, right? Cowboys, Raiders, Legion Stadium, man. Oh, it's going to be fantastic Monday Night Football. But it's just both teams have underachieved. At least the Cowboys offense has been, you know, fun to watch. They put up a lot of points. But you're right, the defense is, has been, you know, atrocious. And me and you could probably score a touchdown against them, but, you know, we're not gonna. So we're good.

[Marcus Mosher]

A great elixir for the Raiders offense. They played Denver last week, you know, maybe the best defense in the league. Now you play the Cowboys, so this should be like playing seven on seven. We'll talk about some matchups to watch here next. This episode is brought to you by Supply House. When the opening whistle blows on a new repair, get your crew moving forward with Supply House. Order today and see parts on your doorstep tomorrow. Over 280,000 plumbing, H vac and electrical items from the most trusted brands of the business. Their real time inventory and honest lead times keep you from punting on projects while your while your industry leading, customer service always has your blind side covered. And if you need parts fast for a project, Supply House has next day delivery. Talk about an absolute game changer. So join the Free Trade Master program today and score some serious perks like priority shipping, lower prices and a dedicated support line. Visit supplyhouse.com to sign up for free and use promo code SHNFL5 for 5% off your first order. The that is supply house.com. real people, real service. This episode is brought to you by Prize Picks. You and I make decisions every day. But on Prize Picks Being right can get you paid don't miss the excitement of this sports season. Whether you're following the NFL, the NBA, or both, there's never been a better time to jump in on the action. And if you haven't tried it yet, Prize Fix is the simplest way to play. Just pick more or less on at least two player stats and if you get them right, you win. It takes less than 60 seconds to make your lineup and you can play anywhere that Prize Picks operates, including California, Texas and Georgia. I love using Prize Picks on Sundays for the NFL games and then middle of the week we've got NBA action. Boom. There you go. Prize Picks. It's so easy to make a lineup. Plus if one of your players leaves early with an injury, they the injury reboot saves your lineup from a loss. No one else is doing that right now. So download the Prize Picks app today. Use Promo Code Latin NFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. That is promo code lot done NFL for $50 in lineups after you Play your first $5 lineup. Price picks it's good welcome back to this crossover edition of the Lockdown Cowboys and Locked On Raiders podcast. We'd like to thank you for making us your first listen of the day. We'd also like to thank you for making Locked on the number one sports podcast network. Let's dive into this Monday Night Football matchup some more. What are a couple matchups that you are fascinated to see here between the Raiders and Cowboys?

[Q]

Well, I kind of touched on it when we were talking about the story lines and I'm really looking at the trenches and want to see how that offensive line is going to fare against the Cowboys defensive line and not because, you know, the Cowboys defensive line or the, you know, purple people eaters or you know, the biggest, you know, most dangerous defensive line out there, whatever. You know, they're not the Broncos that have the league leading 46 sacks and obviously dominated the Raiders last week. But I just want to see what Caleb will Caleb Rogers getting a start now, you know, getting an opportunity at that right guard spot. I believe he's going to be at the right guard spot. That's the other interesting thing because Dylan Parham got banged up as well against Denver, so I'm assuming that he's gonna play coming up on on Monday, but that's an assumption.

[Marcus Mosher]

So he kind of spilled the beans a little bit in an interview that he was going to be starting this week, which is right.

[Q]

So I Feel like he's going to, you know, until we actually see him out there, we don't know. But I think that Caleb Rogers will get that start at the right guard spot and it's just not going to be easy going up against, you know, a veteran. And Quinn and Williams who just got traded, right, he just got traded. So you know how it is, right? Whenever there's some kind of a new move or you know, a guy is added to a team, he always like wants to go out and show out that, that, that first game and under the bright lights, why wouldn't Quinn and Williams want to go out there and ball out? So I'm really intrigued to see how this new offensive line again, no Colton Miller, no jpj, right, you got Jordan Meredith at the center spot, Dylan Par. If he starts out there at the left guard spot, Caleb Rogers, DJ Glaze, like, I mean how is this going to all come together and how are they going to keep that cowboy defensive line off of Geno Smith and how are they going to keep him clean and also open up some running holes for Ashton Genti who I still don't believe is getting enough burn his rookie year. I think that they're under utilizing him. I don't think you draft him number six overall just to kind of spoon feed him some touches here and there. I think that they're really doing a disservice to Asha Jetty, but that's, that's just me.

[Marcus Mosher]

We should mention because of a weird schedule quirk Quinn and Williams has had back to back bye weeks. They hit a bye week in Week 9 with the jets and then a bye week in Week 10 for the Cowboys. And then this is a Monday night game in prime time. You just know that he's going to be ready to go in this game. And I'm sure the, the, the Raiders are going to have, they're going to double team them. They're going to try to limit his impact. But he's one of those guys that can take over a game even when he's being double teamed. So that's obviously probably the biggest matchup to watch. But I think for me I'm going to the coaching staff. This is Brian Schottenheimer versus Pete Carroll. These guys coach together in Seattle. Pete Carroll actually fired Brian Schottenheimer and now this is their first time to go up against each other as head coaches. What does this offense look like from Brian Schottenheimer? He's promised that coming out of the buy they were going to reinvent themselves. They were going to make some big changes. How does he scheme up some big plays against a defense that he should know pretty well? And I know the Raiders have got some issues on the back end, and, you know, the corners are pretty young, but can CD Lamb and George Pickens have big games? I would think so, yeah.

[Q]

No, I feel like that they definitely can. And I'll say this. Eric Stokes for the Raiders at the cornerback position has actually had a quietly good season. He's been really good this year. He missed one game due to injury, but he's been very solid. The question has been the other corner, right? I mean, it's. It's Caillou blue. Kelly had a good game last week against the Broncos, coming away with two interceptions, but, I mean, he hasn't been very consistent. Then their rookie, Darian Porter, out of Iowa State, he's in and out of the lineup. So, I mean, it's just. It's a big question on the other side. So whoever's lining up, you know, across from Caillou or lining up across from Darien Port or whatever the case may be is probably going to be the one that's targeted the most. I'm sure that whoever Eric Stokes lines up across, they're still going to target them, but it won't be as much, I don't think, as they will with the other side of the ball. Right. Or the other side of the, you know, the corner position. So that's going to be something to pay attention to. Can Caillou blue Kelly all of a sudden, you know, build off the success he had last week, coming away with a couple interceptions, does that boost his confidence, or was that just a good day at the office? And Bo Nicks making some bad passes? I think B Knicks made some bad passes. Yeah.

[Marcus Mosher]

It was Bo Nicks being Bo Nicks.

[Q]

Right.

[Marcus Mosher]

We can dunk on Bo Nicks on this podcast.

[Q]

Hey, it's so all good. All good. So, yeah, I think that that's definitely, you know, a question as well. You know, that. That's. That to me is, you know, can you slow those dudes down? Because I think CD Lamb and George Pickens are really good one, two punch when it comes to the wide receiver position, just in the National Football League in general, like what Ryan Schottenheimer has done offensively. And I know you're talking about them coming out and kind of reinventing themselves. I know they had a couple, you know, rough days at the office offensively, but for the most part, I thought that they were pretty good this Season on the offensive side of the ball.

[Marcus Mosher]

They have been good. They just. The last couple of weeks have been inconsistent, and the offensive line is not played particularly well. So I wouldn't be surprised if they try to get physical and run the ball in this game. We'll see. I. I'm curious to see what the changes are on offense. One more matchup that I wanted to. To mention. I think Brock Bowers might be, like, the best skilled player in the NFL, like, legitimately. Now, I know he's not always used that way, but you saw the game against Jacksonville. I mean, he's. He's unstoppable when you feature him. The Cowboys are in a very rough spot in their secondary right now. Malik Hooker, they're starting free safety, he's out with a toe injury. Donovan Wilson's missed the last couple games with an elbow injury. The third safety, Wanye Thomas, he was just put on the injured reserve list because of migraines. Elijah Clark, the next safety, he's out of this game. Like, they are down to their fifth and sixth safeties. There's. They're moving linebackers to safety. Marquis Bell, they've got a. A corner that they're going to be playing at safety. This, to me, sets up as a huge Brock Bowers game. If Chip Kelly wants to use him.

[Q]

That way, you know, that's. That's a good. That's actually music to my ears because, look, he was dialed up. They. They called plays to get him the ball. And for some reason on Thursday night, Gin just did not feed him the rock. He didn't get him any targets in the second half. Like, that's. That should be criminal, right? I said. I made a joke and said, look, he should get targeted when he's not even in the game. Right? I mean, there's the time where he's on the sideline, you just throw it to him just to keep him fresh, you know? I mean, just, hey, yeah, he's out of the. Out of the game on this play, but let's just throw him the ball anyway. Like, he should always get targets. There's no reason for him not to. So Gino's gonna have to be comfortable with being Geno and get him the rock. And look, he doesn't have to get the ball 13 or 14 times a game. But I wouldn't be mad if he was. Why not?

[Marcus Mosher]

I mean, he's the type of player that can handle that workload.

[Q]

Yeah, for sure. But I'm not mean, like, I'm not saying it's It's a requirement to get him the ball 14 times. But to your point, he can handle that. So why wouldn't you feature him? Especially when you don't have Jacoby Myers as your number two target anymore. You traded him off to Jacksonville and you're relying on some rookies to step up and fill that void. Brock Bowers is your consistent, consistent. Get him the ball. He's healthy. When you didn't have him for three games, that's all we heard about. Well, Brock's out. He makes a big difference. Okay, cool. Now he's back. Right. So you have to target him in the second half. They didn't target him one time in the second half against Denver. That's, that's unexcusable. That's non negotiable.

[Marcus Mosher]

Yeah, it. You know, as a Cowboy fan, you're going to be happy every time Gino Smith drops back and throws the football to anybody else but Brian Power. That's going to be a huge win. So again, you should do what the the opponents don't want you to do. And that's just force feedback. Brock Bowers, the football.

[Q]

Right, Exactly. Look, if you don't throw the ball to Brock Bowers, it's like when I watch the NBA and watch LeBron and he's taking a three pointer.

[Marcus Mosher]

That's exactly right.

[Q]

That's a win.

[Marcus Mosher]

All right, let's talk about some keys to victory for the Cowboys and the Raiders going into this Monday Night Football matchup. We will get to that next. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. As the days get shorter and the nights come earlier, it can start to feel a little heavier, especially when life is already packed with work, family and everything else. This season, it is so important to reach out and check in with your friends, your family, or even yourself. And just like checking in on a teammate or reconnecting with someone you haven't seen in a while can lift your spirits, reaching out for therapy can make a real difference too. Better Help makes the first step easier by connecting you with a licensed therapist online from wherever you are. I know for me, like simply talking things through, even for just a couple minutes, can help clear my head and get back on track. And over 5 million people have used better help. And with over 30,000 therapists available, finding support really is just a few clicks away this month. Don't wait to reach out. Whether you're checking in on your friend or reaching out to a therapist yourself, Better Help makes it simple to make the first step and our listeners get 10% off their first [e-mail] lawon that is betterhelp h lp.com loton because taking that first step towards support might just leave you wondering, why didn't I do this sooner?

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[Marcus Mosher]

Welcome back to this crossover edition of the Loton Raiders and Locked on Cowboys podcast. We'd like to thank you for making us your first listen of the day. For your second listen, check out the Locked On NFL podcast. Two shows every single day. One in the morning with Tyler Rowland. One in the afternoon with Tony Wiggins. Available wherever you get your podcast. All right, let's talk about some keys to victory. What do the Raiders need to do to get this win and to kind of get the ball rolling and getting.

[Q]

Back on track, get out of their own way.

[Marcus Mosher]

Yeah, right.

[Q]

They got to stop beating themselves. I mean, and as bad as that sounds, it's the truth. You know, against the Denver Broncos, they should have won that game about four or five times just the way that they were playing. But 11 penalties, not gonna cut it. A touchdown call back because of penalties, a drop pass, that would have been a big time playing score. Oh, by the way, missed field goals. Right. I mean just, they just do things to get in their own way and they're not good enough to overcome these type things. They can't be penalized like that. They can't have double digit penalties. They're not good enough. Right. It's just, it's just the reality. One thing after the other. Genti has a big 30 yard play run and it gets called back because of a holding penalty that had nothing to do with the play. It's just one mistake turns into two mistakes turns into four mistake. The biggest key for the Raiders is not beating the Raiders. They can't have Geno Smith turning the ball over, throwing bad interceptions. And even the intercept she threw on Thursday against the Denver Broncos that was really, I put on Ashton Genti. It wasn't the greatest pass. He could have had some touch on it. But that was on Jetty. It Bounced off his hands and, and went right into the defender's hands. So I'll even chalk that up and say that wasn't on Geno, but there's been so many mistakes that they've made that it's just, it's. It's really hard for them to have sustained success when it's, you know, hey, there's 8 yards here, minus 5 yards here, there's a first down there, there's a holding penalty here. You know, I mean, it's just, it's. It's up and back, up and back. It just, it doesn't make any sense. So they're making it so much harder on themselves. So first and foremost, for the Raiders to have any chance to win this game on Monday against Dallas, they cannot make the mistakes. They can't keep shooting themselves in the foot. And that's what they've done consistently all season long.

[Marcus Mosher]

And for Dallas, it's all about the game script like they are. They're just a bad team when they get behind in games and you would think with their offense being this good that that wouldn't be a problem, that they can get right back in these games because of how good their offense is. But when they get behind, things just start to feel rushed and panicked and the defense can't get stops and the offense is now pressing all of the games they've won, they've jumped out to early leads, they've played with the lead, they've run the ball and then they can start blitzing and being more aggressive on defense. So you've got to start fast. You've been off for however many days now at 13 days, 14 days, getting ready for this game, you've got to start this one off fast. And if you let the Raiders get ahead and, and then they can lean on Genty, they can use a play action game. That's how you fall behind and lose, right?

[Q]

No, that's, that's real. That's real. And the good thing about the Raiders defense is that they've done really well to start games off. You see them come out and, you know, a lot of times get a three and out or even if they give up a first down, they'll still get off the field pretty quickly, but the offense hasn't been able to compliment them. So if the Cowboys get off to a slow start and then the Raiders offense could find a way to take advantage of early success from the Raiders defense, that would be a good, you know, recipe for them to have some success. The problem is complimentary Football, you know, when the defense is playing really well, the offense is struggling. If the offense is. Is playing well, the defense is struggling. They haven't really put together a full game where all these different units are, you know, complementing each other. And, oh, by the way, their special teams coordinator, Atomic man, just got fired, so we'll see what Darius went in the second, who has filled in for Atomic man before as the. As the special teams coordinator, if he has any kind of wrinkle or if it looks a little bit different, because special teams has been everything but special for the Raiders this year. Daniel Carlson has not been very good. Their kickoff coverage has not been great. Their kick return has been a little bit better under Raheem Mostert when he's been returning the ball. So maybe the Cowboys don't want to kick it to him. But outside of that, their special teams has not been very special. AJ Cole's doing his thing. He's. He's really good consistently, that guy. But outside of that, man. So that's going to be an intriguing, you know, element of this game as well. Right? The third phase that a lot of people don't talk about until it's going bad. Can the Raiders have a little bit of a spark from a change at the coordinator position?

[Marcus Mosher]

And it's surprising that that unit has been that bad, because I remember 2020, 2021, Daniel Carlson and AJ Cole, maybe the best specialist duo in the league. So we always talk about special teams for the Cowboys. They've got a, you know, an all pro kicker and Brandon Aubrey, an all pro returner, and Kevonte Turpin. Those guys have got to win this matchup if they want to steal this game on the road. And then the last thing for me, don't let Max Crosby take over this game. He is an unbelievable player, and I'm actually excited for the national audience to get to watch him again because I don't think people will realize. Just. I mean, they know he's great. They don't realize just how great he is. So double him, triple him, send a tight end over there. Don't let him be disrupted because that entire defense feeds off of his energy. He's going to make his plays, but don't let him ruin the game.

[Q]

Right? And see, that's the thing. He has to ruin the game. He has to be that guy for the Raiders. I've been asking who's going to be the Robin to his Batman for the. For the longest, and as you know, the Raiders have brought in guys to try to be that Chandler Jones, Malcolm Koontz is there. They drafted Tyree Wilson. Nobody has stepped up and said, hey, I'll be that guy, you know, they drafted or they, they signed Christian Wilkins as a free agent. We all know how long that lasted. Five whole games. And you know, it's just one thing after the other. Nobody has really complimented Max Crosby. So he needs to wreck the game. I know he's going to be super amped up. It's Monday Night Football, all eyes on, on, on Vegas. And, and that's just what he, that's what he, that's how he gets down, man. He is a football junkie through and through. So he knows what Monday Night Football is all about. So on the biggest stage, he's definitely going to want to show up and show out. So that's, that's the guy that I'll definitely be focused in on. And if the Cowboys have a little bit of crack in that offensive line, he's going to try to find and exploit it.

[Marcus Mosher]

All right, that is it for today's show. We want to thank you for making this Crossover Thursday. Your first listen of the day. Check out our shows on YouTube. You can download the podcast wherever you get your podcast. We are free and available on all platforms. Follow Q on Twitter at your boy q254 I'm at Marcus Underscore Moser and check us out on Friday and then get ready for Monday Night Football later in the week. We'll see you guys then.

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[Locked On Podcast Network Announcer]

Thank you for making Locked on your first listen every day. The NFL season is finally here and for your second listen, get a double dose of the Locked on NFL podcast. Tyler the Madman Roland gives you a shot of espresso to start your football day while Tony Wiggins takes you into the barbershop for the smoothest breakdowns to end the day, Locked on NFL brings you non stop league wide coverage daily. Find Locked on NFL on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts part of the Locked on podcast network your team every day.

[Glenn Smith]

It's Glenn Smith, former Cowboys assistant coach and now analyst from the Cowboys Squad show. Expand your daily Cowboys obsession with an hour long deep dive as I team up with the best voices covering your favorite team after every game and every Thursday on Locked On Cowboys Squad up wherever you get your podcast live and on YouTube, part of the Locked On Podcast network. Your team every day.