The Dallas Cowboys will close out Week 11 of the 2025 NFL campaign with a matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football. After suffering a tough loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football before their bye week in Week 10, the Cowboys desperately need to get back in the win column if they want any hope of salvaging their season.
Considering how Dallas is fresh off its bye week, it will likely be healthier than it’s been over the past couple of weeks. Ahead of this game, the Cowboys activated a key piece of their secondary from injured reserve, while also elevating a sneaky offensive weapon from the practice squad to the active roster.
Cowboys Activate Malik Hooker, Elevate Malik Davis from Practice Squad
There have been a lot of issues that have flared up for the Cowboys through their first nine games of the season, most of which have stemmed from the defensive side of the ball. Typically, that’s what happens when you trade away your best player (Micah Parsons) right before the start of the regular season, but that’s a conversation for another day.
Losing Parsons hurt in more ways than one, and Dallas’ defense has been struggling to stay afloat without him. Not only do they lack a true replacement for him in their front seven on defense, but it has also forced a secondary that is battered by injuries to hold up in coverage now that opposing quarterbacks have more time to throw the ball. As their 3-5-1 record indicates, that plan hasn’t worked all that well.
Reinforcements came in at the trade deadline, though, and now, Dallas will be getting one of its starters back in the secondary. That would be Malik Hooker, who was activated off injured reserve earlier this week after missing time with a toe injury. The Cowboys also elevated running back Malik Davis from the practice squad to the active roster, giving them another weapon who can make plays on offense.
“Hooker was activated off of injured reserve on Monday afternoon after being a full participant in the Cowboys’ final practice of the week on Saturday,” the team announced on its official website. “The Cowboys also elevated RB Malik Davis from the practice squad ahead of their primetime game Monday night against the Las Vegas Raiders.”
Cowboys Aiming to Pick Up Bounce Back Victory vs. Raiders
For as poorly as things have gone for the Cowboys so far this season, they still have an opportunity to turn things around and make a late playoff push. They simply cannot afford to throw away any more winnable games, and there’s no doubt that this contest against the Raiders is one that the team and its fans are labeling as winnable.
Las Vegas has been a complete mess this season on both sides of the ball, and this game should be viewed as a get-right game for Dallas. If all goes according to plan, the Cowboys will easily take down the Raiders, but as we have seen this season, nothing has been easy for this team. Kickoff for this important matchup is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET on Monday night.
