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The Las Vegas Raiders aren’t a very good football team, which is why they are 2-7. However, the Silver and Black do have top talent, and one of the players the Dallas Cowboys are focusing on is Ashton Jeanty.
Jeanty has had a rollercoaster rookie season for the Raiders. Nonetheless, he has flashed his potential, with his best game with Las Vegas coming on September 28 against the Chicago Bears, where he recorded 138 rushing yards and one touchdown.
While he has yet to replicate that performance, the Cowboys’ defense knows that the Raiders’ young star possesses that capability and doesn’t want to be the next team to concede over 100 yards to Jeanty.
On November 14, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer appeared on 105.3 The Fan and shared his thoughts on Jeanty.
“I loved our time when he came in here for an interview,” Schottenheimer said about Jeanty. “I believe his makeup is going to turn him into an incredible pro. His talent jumps off the film. Everybody’s seen it from his time at Boise [State]—his explosiveness, his ability to change direction, his pad level that he plays with.
“Quite honestly, he’s doing okay. There have been some tough looks to run into, and that’s part of playing running back in the National Football League. But I do think the sky’s the limit for this young man. Again, he’s a guy that I won’t be cheering for this weekend, but every other week I will be.”
Dallas has struggled defensively this season, but the Cowboys made moves before the NFL trade deadline, trading for Logan Wilson and Quinnen Williams. The Raiders will now face a revamped defense, with these two expected to play pivotal roles in containing Jeanty.
Ahead of the November 17 matchup, Las Vegas running back Ashton Jeanty spoke with reporters about taking on the Cowboys’ defense and looking for opportunities to exploit gaps in their run game.
“Yeah, [the Cowboys] got some great players,” Jeanty said on November 11. “They just added Quinnen Williams in the interior. So, I’m sure that’ll level up their front. And, just a good all-around team. But, there’s definitely places where we can attack them and make great plays.”
Williams’ addition in Dallas is set to play a major role in how Jeanty and the Raiders manage the run game against the Cowboys. While Jeanty discussed the defense broadly, questions naturally turned to Williams, who
is expected to challenge the opposition’s ground attack.
“Just another guy in the interior to be disruptive. I mean, he’s a game wrecker. So, we got to be ready for him. We just prepping kind of for whoever’s going to be out there. Obviously they’ve made some changes, so we’ll just prepare for that.”
It will be worth watching how the new additions affect the defense. At the same time, Jeanty could have a breakout performance against Dallas. The Cowboys rank in the bottom 10 in rushing yards allowed (1,287),
according to Pro Football Reference, and also sit in the bottom 10 for rushing touchdowns allowed (11) and rushing yards per attempt (4.8).
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Veteran pass rusher Jaelan Phillips enjoyed a strong debut with the Eagles in Monday’s 10-7 win over the Packers.
Jaelan Phillips is making quite the impression on his new Eagles teammates and coaches.
The 26-year-old linebacker was all over the field in his Philadelphia debut Monday night, recording two quarterback hits, six pressures, a tackle for loss and a fumble recovery in a 10-7 victory over the Packers.
As the Eagles head home to face the Lions in Week 10, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio remains in awe of his team’s newest weapon, who was acquired at the trade deadline from the Dolphins.
“He plays hard,” Fangio said. “He’s strong at the point, a good pass rusher. When you shop at Nordstrom’s, you get good stuff.”
Phillips is no stranger to playing for Fangio. In 2023 with Miami, Phillips recorded 6.5 sacks in eight games before tearing his Achilles. Fangio joined the Eagles the following season and was instrumental in leading the team to a victory in Super Bowl LIX.
Needing help at pass rusher, the Eagles traded a 2026 third-round pick before the Nov. 4 deadline to reunite Phillips with his old coordinator.
Just one game in, it looks like a wise investment. The Eagles held the Packers to 261 total yards and just one scoring drive. Green Bay’s only points came with 5:49 left on a Josh Jacobs 6-yard run.
Philadelphia has won three straight and sits comfortably atop the NFC East at 7-2.
Phillips is in the final year of his contract, and because of his lengthy injury history and their difficult start, the Dolphins were apparently hesitant to commit to him long-term.
The fifth-year veteran had 25 tackles, three sacks and one fumble recovery in nine games with Miami this season, the final year of his rookie deal.
The Eagles rank 18th in total defense (327.9 yards allowed per game) but have the fifth-fewest sacks in the NFL with 19.
In addition to trading for Phillips, the Eagles coaxed veteran pass rusher Brandon Graham out of retirement. The 37-year-old Graham, who is third in franchise history in sacks (76.5) and first in games played (277), made his season debut against the Packers in a limited role. He did not record any stats.