OAKLAND — Both the offensive and defensive lines for the Raiders took a hit in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys, with one injury potentially ending one of the NFL’s most impressive ironman streaks.
Defensive lineman Treyvon Hester was knocked out the game with an ankle injury and left tackle Donald Penn left with a foot injury.
With Penn out, Marshall Newhouse moved from right tackle to left tackle and Vadal Alexander took Newhouse’s spot. On an already thin defensive line with Mario Edwards Jr. out, Eddie Vanderdoes and Jihad Ward took most of the snaps in Hester’s spot.
Penn was injured with just over four minutes to go in the first quarter when Marshawn Lynch was dropped for a two-yard loss and left guard Kelechi Osemele rolled into Penn’s leg in the pile.
Penn slammed his fist into the ground as he was being attended to, and had to be assisted off the field and later into the Raiders’ dressing room. He was deemed questionable to return later in the first half but was ruled out at the start of the third quarter.
Penn, 34, was making his 170th consecutive start, the longest active streak in the NFL among offensive linemen.
Penn spent the first seven seasons of his NFL career with Tampa Bay before he signed with the Raiders prior to the 2014 season. He signed contract extensions in 2016 and 2017. Penn has played in all 16 regular season games every year he’s been in the league since 2007.
▪With under five minutes to go in the fourth quarter, officials brought out the yardsticks to see if Dak Prescott had picked up a first down on a Cowboys’ fourth and inches play on their own 39. When the yardsticks couldn’t determine whether a first down had been made, referee Gene Steratore brought out an index card to see if there was space between the football and the stick.
There wasn’t, and the Cowboys picked up a first down on their way to kicking a 19-yard field goal with 1:44 left to take a 20-17 lead.
▪Khalil Mack’s first-half sack of Prescott gave him a sack in five straight games and 8.5 for the season. The reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year has had only one sack streak longer, with, with sacks in eight straight games last season.
▪ Sean Smith had his first two interception game in over five seasons as he picked off Prescott in the first and third quarters.
Smith’s first interception came on the Cowboys’ first drive, as he picked off a pass intended for Dez Bryant and returned it to the Raiders’ 30. It was Smith’s first interception since Oct. 9, 2016, ending a drought of 21 games. Smith’s other interception came deep in Dallas territory and later resulted in a 39-yard field goal for Giorgio Tavecchio that tied the game at 10 with 6:14 to go in the third quarter.
Smith’s only other two interception game came for Miami in October 2012 when he picked off Arizona’s Kevin Kolb twice.
▪ The Raiders’ 14 penalties for 105 yards Sunday were both season highs. They had seven penalties in the first half, including a pass interference call on Smith in the Raiders’ end zone that gave the Cowboys the ball at the Oakland 1. On the next play, Rod Smith scored to give Dallas a 9-0 lead with 14:04 to go in the second quarter.
Oakland’s 14th penalty was an unsportsmanlike call on Lynch, who was upset about the officials’ initial ruling late in the fourth quarter that quarterback Derek Carr had fumbled through the end zone for a touchback. The call stood after a video replay.
The Raiders’ previous high was 10 penalties, set two other times this season — against Kansas City in Week 7 and Miami in Week 9. Oakland won both games.
▪ Center Rodney Hudson was added to the injury report with an illness prior to Sunday’s game and was listed as questionable, but did start. Backup center Jon Feliciano, was limited in practice Thursday and Friday with concussion symptoms, was also activated.
Hudson, who made his first Pro Bowl last season, has now made 34 straight starts for the Raiders. His last missed game was Dec. 6, 2015 against Kansas City with an ankle injury.
Inactive for the Raiders on Sunday were cornerback David Amerson (foot), quarterback Connor Cook, receiver Amari Cooper (ankle), Edwards Jr. (ankle), tackles David Sharpe and Jylan Ware and tight end Clive Walford (concussion/neck).
Tight end Jared Cook (wrist) and defensive lineman Denico Autry (hand/ankle), who were both limited in practice earlier this week, were activated.
Staff writers Matt Schneidman and Jerry McDonald contributed to this notebook.
