Frequently Asked Questions About Cowboys vs Raiders

As of the 2021 season, the Las Vegas Raiders lead the all-time regular season series against the Dallas Cowboys 7-6. The Raiders won the most recent matchup on Thanksgiving Day 2021 by a score of 36-33 in overtime at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The series began in 1960 when both franchises were founded, with Dallas winning that inaugural meeting 28-19. The teams have never met in the playoffs, which is notable given both franchises' extensive postseason histories. The Raiders' series lead represents one of the few instances where an opponent holds a winning record against the Cowboys in a rivalry with at least ten games played.

The Cowboys and Raiders first played on November 13, 1960, in Dallas, with the Cowboys winning 28-19. This game occurred during the inaugural season for both franchises—Dallas as an NFL expansion team and the Raiders as an original AFL franchise. The attendance was 18,500 at the Cotton Bowl, which served as the Cowboys' home stadium until Texas Stadium opened in 1971. This first meeting was significant because it featured two brand-new organizations that would eventually become among the most successful franchises in professional football history. Both teams struggled in their early years, but this game marked the beginning of what would become a respected, if infrequent, rivalry spanning more than six decades.

Under the current NFL scheduling format implemented in 2002, the Cowboys and Raiders play each other once every four years in regular season games. This is because they are in different conferences—Dallas in the NFC East and Las Vegas in the AFC West. The NFL's scheduling formula has each team play all teams in their own division twice (home and away), one entire division from the other conference on a rotating basis, plus additional games based on previous season standings. The four-year rotation means fans must wait between matchups, which actually increases the anticipation and significance of each game. The next scheduled meeting is expected in 2025, when Dallas will travel to Las Vegas to play at Allegiant Stadium for the first time.

No, the Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders have never faced each other in a Super Bowl, despite both franchises having extensive championship pedigrees. The Cowboys have appeared in eight Super Bowls, winning five (VI, XII, XXVII, XXVIII, XXX), while the Raiders have appeared in five Super Bowls, winning three (XI, XV, XVIII). The reason they have never met in the championship game is that both teams play in different conferences—Dallas in the NFC and the Raiders in the AFC. Since the Super Bowl matches the NFC champion against the AFC champion, a Cowboys-Raiders Super Bowl would require both teams to win their respective conference championships in the same season, which has never occurred despite several seasons where both teams were strong contenders.

The highest-scoring game in the Cowboys-Raiders series was the 1983 Thanksgiving Day matchup, which Dallas won 40-38 for a combined 78 points. Played at Texas Stadium in Irving on November 28, 1983, before 63,855 fans, this game featured explosive offensive performances from both teams. Cowboys quarterback Danny White threw for 345 yards, while Raiders running back Marcus Allen rushed for 121 yards. The game went down to the final minutes, with Dallas holding on for the two-point victory. This offensive showcase exemplified the high-scoring nature of many Cowboys-Raiders matchups, which have averaged 51.8 combined points per game throughout the series—well above typical NFL scoring averages for the corresponding time periods.

The Raiders currently play their home games at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, after relocating from Oakland following the 2019 season. The stadium opened in 2020 at a cost of approximately $2 billion and has a seating capacity of 65,000, expandable to 72,000 for special events. The move to Las Vegas marked the franchise's third home, following stints in Oakland (1960-1981, 1995-2019) and Los Angeles (1982-1994). Allegiant Stadium features a fixed roof and is located just west of the famous Las Vegas Strip. The Cowboys played their first game at this venue on Thanksgiving 2021, losing 36-33 in overtime. The stadium represents a significant upgrade from the Oakland Coliseum and has already hosted major events including the 2022 Pro Bowl.

Nine Hall of Fame players participated in Cowboys-Raiders games during their careers. For Dallas: Roger Staubach (QB, 1974 game), Tony Dorsett (RB, 1983 and 1986 games), Troy Aikman (QB, 1995 and 1998 games), Emmitt Smith (RB, 1995 and 1998 games), and Michael Irvin (WR, 1995 and 1998 games). For the Raiders: Ken Stabler (QB, 1974 game), Marcus Allen (RB, 1983 and 1986 games), Tim Brown (WR, 1995 and 1998 games), and Howie Long (DE, 1983 and 1986 games). These players represent some of the greatest talents in NFL history, and their participation elevated these matchups into contests of historic significance. The 1995 game featured the most Hall of Famers on the field simultaneously, with five future inductees playing in that single contest.

The 2021 Thanksgiving Day game saw the Las Vegas Raiders defeat the Dallas Cowboys 36-33 in overtime at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson kicked a 29-yard field goal in overtime to secure the victory before a crowd of 93,267 fans—the largest attendance for any Cowboys-Raiders matchup in history. Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott threw for 375 yards and two touchdowns, while Raiders quarterback Derek Carr threw for 373 yards and one touchdown. The game featured 900 combined yards of total offense and multiple lead changes. This was the first meeting between Dallas and the Raiders since the franchise relocated to Las Vegas in 2020, marking a new chapter in the rivalry. The overtime thriller was broadcast nationally on CBS and became one of the most-watched games of the 2021 regular season.