Lions at Cowboys
ARLINGTON – While there are no moral victories in the NFL, the Detroit Lions’ close 20-19 loss to the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium challenges that notion, especially given the Cowboys’ impressive performances against other opponents at home this year. Seeing it. This tight contest shows that Detroit deserves a spot among the NFC’s elite teams.
In the final moments, the Lions believed they had regained the lead when quarterback Jared Goff mounted a 75-yard scoring drive in the final two minutes. Goff successfully linked up with wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown on an 11-yard touchdown pass, making the score 20–19 with just 23 seconds remaining.
Head coach Dan Campbell opted for a two-point conversion in an attempt to secure the victory. Goff successfully connected with left tackle Taylor Decker for the conversion, but unfortunately, Decker was penalized for an illegal touch, voiding two points. Undaunted, Detroit decided to make another attempt at the win, but Goff’s pass to James Mitchell was incomplete. The Cowboys narrowly escaped defeat when Detroit could not recover an onside kick and secured their closest home win of the season.
As Saturday night’s primetime showdown against the Lions approaches, Dallas boasts an unblemished 7-0 record at AT&T Stadium this year. The team had dominated their opponents and outscored them by a huge margin of 108 against 279.
Detroit’s defense managed to limit the opposing team to 20 points below their home scoring average for the year. A key moment came with just two minutes and 39 seconds left in the game when Aidan Hutchinson got his third sack, providing a crucial stop. This defensive play allowed the offense to gain possession and attempt an 89-yard drive for a potential game-winning score.
On the second play of the Detroit drive, Goff’s pass was intercepted by Dallas safety Donovan Wilson, who made a diving catch in front of tight end Sam LaPorta at the Lions’ 31-yard line. Taking advantage of the turnover, the Cowboys converted it into a 43-yard field goal, increasing their lead to 20–13 with just one minute and 41 seconds remaining.
Give Goff and the offense credit for scoring late; However, they missed the final two points.
The Lions’ loss drops their season record to 11–5, maintaining their status as champions of the NFC North division as the third seed in the NFC playoff standings. Meanwhile, Dallas won, moving to 11–5 and keeping their aspirations for the NFC East title alive.
St. Brown (11) and running back David Montgomery (3) scored touchdowns for Detroit.
Comparison QB: Goff finished the game by connecting on 19 of his 34 passes, scoring a touchdown with two interceptions, resulting in a 67.2 rating. Although he only experienced one sack, he faced consistent pressure from Dallas’ formidable front seven all night. On the opposing side, Dallas’ Dak Prescott performed admirably, completing 26 of his 38 passes for 345 yards. Prescott contributed two touchdowns, threw an interception courtesy of Ifetu Melifonvu, and posted an impressive 103.5 rating.
Big Play: At the end of the first quarter, the Cowboys took a 7–3 lead with a remarkable 92-yard touchdown pass from Prescott to Lamb. The game had the potential for a sack and safety in the Lions’ favor, but linebacker Derrick Barnes missed a crucial sack opportunity. Avoiding pressure, Prescott moved to his right and threw a deep pass to Lamb, who found himself in a one-on-one situation with Lions veteran cornerback Kyndal Vildor. Detroit’s bad luck continued as Wildor fumbled at the 45-yard line, leaving Lamb wide open as the ball landed gracefully in his waiting arms at the 50-yard line.
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What initially looked like a strong 5–0 lead with potential safety and ball possession eventually turned into a challenging situation, resulting in a surprising 7–3 deficit.
Stat Key: Detroit struggled on third downs throughout the game, managing only a 4-of-13 success rate. Despite entering the contest ranked seventh in the NFL with a 43.6 percent conversion rate, they faced challenges mounting drives.
Injury Report: Jameson Williams left the game during the second half with an ankle injury and did not return.
Next week: Faces Minnesota (7-8), details to be determined.
