Las Vegas Raiders at Dallas Cowboys: 3 things to watch in Week 12

Raiders, Derek Carr (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)
Raiders, Derek Carr (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)
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Raiders
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – NOVEMBER 07: Derek Carr #4 of the Las Vegas Raiders throws a pass during the second quarter in the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on November 07, 2021, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

Las Vegas Raiders at Dallas Cowboys: 3 things to watch in Week 12

Avoiding the four-game slide

It has been a terrible go for the Raiders since the bye week, as they went on the road and were beaten by a bad New York Giants team, and then lost at home in back-to-back weeks against fellow AFC Playoff contenders. While the playoffs seem so far away after such a bad stretch, the truth is, this team is 5-5, and if they can get a win Thursday, they are above .500 and head into a matchup against the Washington Football Team in Week 13.

There is still a lot of talent on this team, but guys are playing their worst football of the season during this stretch, and the coaching staff seems unprepared. With a loss on Thanksgiving Day, the Raiders would not only lose their fourth straight game, but would fall below .500, and would have an incredibly steep climb to even be a legitimate playoff contender.

The Raiders are one of those teams this season where you do not know what you are going to get on a week-to-week basis. Right now, they appear lost, and with the way Carr spoke after the loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, it remains to be seen if they are going to snap out of their funk, especially against a tough team like Dallas.

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