Week 4 Game Recap: Dallas Cowboys 13, Oakland Raiders 19

What you need to know

Dallas Cowboys

Drew Bledsoe and the Dallas Cowboys struggled to find their rhythm offensively throughout the game. Luckily for Bledsoe and the Cowboys, the Dallas defense did just enough to keep them in the game, despite their offensive struggles. Bledsoe finished just 11 of 26 for 212 yards and a touchdown, but did have one interception and was visibly frustrated a number of times on the sideline. His touchdown pass came in the fourth quarter when he hit WR Patrick Crayton for a 63 yard score that cut the Oakland lead to 16-13, but that was as close as the Cowboys would get. Later in the fourth quarter, on what would be the club’s last drive, he hit WR Terry Glenn for a gain of 57 yards. The comeback attempt failed a few plays later, when a pass intended for Glenn near the goal line fell incomplete.

RB Julius Jones worked hard to get things going on the ground, running for 76 yards on 22 carries, for a 3.5 yard per carry average. In an effort to keep Jones fresh, coach Bill Parcells spelled his talented runner with rookie Tyson Thompson, who had 32 yards on seven carries, but struggled in pass protection.

TE Jason Witten was the team’s leading receiver, with five catches for 49 yards, including one grab on which it took about five Raiders’ defenders to take him down. Keyshawn Johnson was targeted nine times, the most of the Dallas receiving core, but finished with only one catch for 16 yards. Johnson did attempt a pass of his own, a wide receiver flea flicker play, that was intended for Julius Jones, but fell incomplete.

Rookie DL Marcus Spears lined up at FB in the fourth quarter, blocking on a Julius Jones run up the middle that led to a minimal gain.

The Cowboys’ defense was led by hard hitting safety Roy Williams, who finished with seven tackles and one assist. After the big play to Moss in the first quarter, the Dallas defense held its own for the rest of the game and did not allow the Raiders to connect on any other big plays.

Oakland Raiders

The Raiders earned their first win of the season by controlling nearly every aspect of the game with steady play on both sides of the ball.

Oakland came out of the gates strong in the first quarter, with their defense forcing a Dallas punt on the first drive of the game. On their ensuing possession, the Raiders fed the ball to RB Lamont Jordan on the first play, which he rushed for a five yard gain. That play seemed to set up the first big play of the game, when QB Kerry Collins hit WR Randy Moss for a 79 yard gain, setting up first and goal. Following two runs up the middle by Jordan, Collins was sacked in the backfield on third down, leading to K Sebastian Janikowski’s first field goal of the game. Janikowski, who has struggled in the Raiders’ first three games, had an excellent game, hitting all four of his field goal attempts in helping Oakland earn their first win of the season. .

QB Kerry Collins had a steady, but unspectacular game. He completed 13 out of 23 for 218 yards, including the big 79 yard pass to Moss, but finished the game with zero touchdowns. On a positive note, he did not commit a turnover in the game and did just what he had to help his team win.

RB Lamont Jordan, who’s had mixed results in his first three games as a Raider, showed why he was a hot off-season commodity, carrying the ball 26 times for 126 yards and a touchdown. He also continued to be involved in the passing game with 4 receptions for 22 yards. Jordan was shown getting treatment on his left wrist during the game, but it did not seem to affect his play on the field.

WR Randy Moss was used primarily as a decoy for most of the game, finishing with 4 catches for 123 yards, but was targeted only 5 times. His big 79 yard reception set up a Raiders’ field goal and all four of his catches resulted in first downs.

Oakland’s defense, which was solid all game, was led by safety Derrick Gibson, who finished with six tackles, two assists and one sack. The whole Raiders’ defensive unit played extremely well, limiting the Cowboys’ running game and putting constant pressure on the Dallas passing attack.

What you ought to know

QB Drew Bledsoe, Pass: 11 - 26 - 212 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - 7 - 0

Bledsoe and the Dallas offense started slowly, punting on their first three possessions, and never really got anything going against the Raider defense. He was only five of 13 for 53 yards and one interception in the first half, and struggled to convert for most of the second half as well. The Cowboys’ defense helped the club stay in the game, and Bledsoe was able to get some drives going in the second half, but it wasn’t enough. He hit WR Patrick Crayton for a 63 yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, and on the ensuing drive, in an effort for a comeback win, hit WR Terry Glenn for a 57 yard pass play. Dallas was able to get inside the Oakland five yard line, but their drive ended when Bledsoe failed to connect with Glenn from five yards out.

RB Julius Jones, Rush: 22 - 76 - 0, Rec: 1 - 12 - 0 (3 targets)

Julius Jones was never really able to get on track. He did get 22 carries, gaining 76 yards on those carries, and was unable to get into the open field and give the Cowboys the big play they needed to get things going. In an effort to give Jones some rest, he was spelled on occasion by rookie Tyson Thompson. He was targeted three times in the passing game, but finished with only one catch for 12 yards.

RB Tyson Thompson, Rush: 7 - 32 - 0, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (2 targets)

Thompson was used primarily to give Jones a rest, but showed some flashes in the running game with 32 yards on 7 carries. He seems to be a Parcells' type role player, but should not be a threat to take carries from Jones.

RB Marion Barber III, Rush: 2 - 1 - 0

Barber was a not a factor for the most part. He was used on two short yardage plays, but failed to convert on either one.

WR Terry Glenn, Rec: 2 - 64 - 0 (6 targets)

Glenn was shut down for most of the day, but came through late in the game with a 57 yard grab on the team’s last drive. He was the target on the team’s last play, a pass from Bledsoe that fell short near the goal line and killed the Cowboys’ chances of a comeback.

WR Keyshawn Johnson, Pass: 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rec: 1 - 16 - 0 (9 targets)

Johnson was Bledsoe’s favorite target, getting nine looks from the veteran QB, but they were able to connect on only one of those for 16 yards. He was targeted twice on third downs, and had a touchdown reception called back on an illegal motion penalty committed by Johnson himself.

WR Patrick Crayton, Rec: 1 - 63 - 1 (2 targets)

Patrick Crayton was thrown to only two times, but turned one of them into a 63 yard touchdown that cut the Raiders' lead to three.

TE Jason Witten, Rec: 5 - 49 - 0 (5 targets)

Jason Witten hauled in all five passes thrown his way, four of which were on third downs. One of his receptions for first down took at least four Oakland defenders to take him down, showing just how strong he is.

PK Jose Cortez 2 - 2 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 7 points

Cortez hit on field goals of 29 and 30 yards, and made good on his only extra point attempt.

DAL Rush Defense

Dallas struggled to contain Raider RB Lamont Jordan, who powered his way to 126 yards on the ground, becoming the first running back in fourteen games to reach the century mark against their defense. It shows just how much attention Moss requires, and what an effect it has on his team’s running game.

DAL Pass Defense

The Cowboys’ secondary held the Raiders to only one big play, but it could have proved to be the difference in the game. They let Randy Moss split them on the Raiders’ first possession of the game, where Kerry Collins and the WR connected on a 79 yard pass play that set up an Oakland field goal. After that, they did an admirable job on the talented Oakland offense, limiting Moss to only four catches and Jerry Porter to only three.

QB Kerry Collins, Pass: 13 - 23 - 218 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - -1 - 0

Collins was steady, and with exception to the big play to Moss, was unspectacular. He threw for only 218 yards, but a lot of credit for that goes to the Dallas defense, which gave Collins few options when he did drop back to pass.

RB Lamont Jordan, Rush: 26 - 126 - 1, Rec: 4 - 22 - 0 (5 targets)

This was Lamont Jordan’s coming out party as an Oakland Raider. The powerful back showed why the team coveted him so much in the off season, as he muscled his way to 126 yards and a touchdown on the ground, a feat not to be taken lightly against a tough Dallas defense. He also continued to show his versatility, hauling in four passes for 22 yards, and continued to block well in pass protection.

RB Zack Crockett, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0

Crockett was a non factor, as most of his contributions came blocking for Lamont Jordan.

RB Justin Fargas, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0

Fargas spelled Jordan on a few plays, but was not a factor.

WR Randy Moss, Rec: 4 - 123 - 0 (5 targets)

While he only caught four balls, Randy Moss showed just how much influence he has and how much attention he requires from defenses. His big play came on the first drive, where his 79 yard catch set up Oakland’s first score of the game, a Janikowski field goal. That one play, on the first drive of the game, seemed to cause Dallas to give help in the secondary, wherever Moss was. That helped set up Oakland’s running game, which had its best showing of the year by far.

WR Jerry Porter, Rec: 3 - 41 - 0 (6 targets)

Porter caught three passes for 41 yards but struggled to find room behind the Dallas secondary.

TE Courtney Anderson, Rec: 2 - 32 - 0 (3 targets)

Anderson followed up the best game of his career with only two catches for 32 yards, but they both resulted in Oakland first downs.

PK Sebastian Janikowski 4 - 4 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 13 points

Janikowski came up big for the Raiders, hitting all four of his field goal attempts, from distances of 30, 23 and 49 yards, as well as a 43 yarder that proved to be the difference in the game.

OAK Rush Defense

Oakland’s rush defense held Dallas RB Julius Jones in check, allowing him to rush for only 76 yards on 22 carries, and gave up only 3.6 yards per carry total for the game. They gave up only four rushing first downs for the game.

OAK Pass Defense

The Raiders were very effective in containing the Cowboys’ passing game. The Dallas wide receivers only had one catch through three quarters and failed to find room in the Oakland secondary until the touchdown pass to Patrick Crayton. The defense struggled to finish plays in the fourth quarter, missing tackles on the Crayton touchdown as well as other Dallas offensive plays, but held their own for the game. They also pressured Cowboy QB Drew Bledsoe frequently for the game, making it difficult for the QB to convert on pass plays.