RECAP: Lions at Cowboys – A defensive battle highlighted the first 30 minutes of Sunday’s matchup between Detroit and Dallas, with Detroit’s defense leading the charge to a 6-3 halftime lead.
It continued to be a defensive showdown into the fourth quarter, but in the end, Dallas capitalized on four fourth-quarter turnovers by the Lions’ offense to spearhead a 24-6 win. The loss drops Detroit to 1-5 on the season.
Sunday’s loss wasn’t on the Lions’ defense. For a second straight game the Lions’ offense failed to record a touchdown and had critical turnovers. Detroit was shorthanded offensively with running back D’Andre Swift (inactive) and wide receiver DJ Chark (IR) out, and slot receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown left with a concussion in the first quarter, but that’s no excuse for how poor they’ve played the last two weeks.
Dallas scored the game’s first touchdown following Lions quarterback Jared Goff’s fifth interception of the season on the Lions’ opening possession of the second half at the Dallas 18-yard line. Trevon Diggs got the pick.
Dallas went 82 yards in seven plays and scored on an Ezekiel Elliott 1-yard touchdown run to give the Cowboys the first lead of the day at 10-6.
The Lions were in position to retake the lead early in the fourth quarter after a terrific drive positioned them with a 1st and goal at the Dallas 1-yard line. But running back Jamaal Williams fumbled the ball and it was recovered by linebacker Anthony Barr at the half yard line.
Detroit’s defense did a nice job to force a punt and give the offense another chance, but Goff was intercepted again, this time by cornerback Jourdan Lewis at the Dallas 47-yard line. Dallas turned that into another Elliott 1-yard touchdown with 2:46 left to give the Cowboys a 17-6 lead.
Dallas iced the game on Goff’s third turnover, a strip-sack fumble at the Detroit 23-yard line they turned into a 2-yard Peyton Hendershot touchdown to give them a 24-6 lead.
Fittingly, the game ended on a couple kneeldowns after another Goff fumble, Detroit’s fifth turnover of the game.
QB comparison: It was a forgettable day for Goff, who ended up turning the ball over three times. He finished 21-of-26 passing for 228 yards with no touchdowns, two interceptions and two fumbles. He was sacked five times and finished with a 71.2 passer rating.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was playing in his first game since injuring his thumb Week 1. He was an efficient 19-of-25 passing for 207 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions for a 113.2 rating.
Worth noting: Cornerback Jeff Okudah was all over the AT&T Stadium turf Sunday. He was terrific supporting the run and finished the day with 15 tackles, including a tackle for loss that forced a first-half punt. It was Okudah’s best game of the year.
Lions rookie pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson notched sacks No. 4 and 5 on the year. He finished with three tackles, two sacks, three quarterback hits and a tackle for loss.
No. 2 tight end Brock Wright caught all four of his targets for 57 yards. Wright came into the game with just one catch on the season for 25 yards.
Rookie debut: Second-round pick Josh Paschal made his NFL debut Sunday after sitting out the first five games of the season rehabbing a sports hernia surgery he had over the summer.
Paschal got good push along the interior and totaled two tackles in the contest.
Injury report: St. Brown caught a 4-yard pass on a 2nd and 11 play at the Dallas 21-yard line late in the first quarter and took a shot to the back of the head as he was going to the ground.
As he got to his knees, St. Brown shook his head a bit. He got to his feet and an official took him out of the game to be evaluated.
St. Brown went into the medical tent on the sideline for a number of minutes and then emerged and went right to the locker room. Shortly after, the team ruled him out with a concussion.
Up next: vs. Miami (3-3)
