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Dallas picks up the onside kick, the Cowboys get the one-point win and still have a shot at the NFC East.
Here's a look at the Cowboys' game-winning stop.
Cowboys vs. Lions score: CeeDee Lamb's record-breaking night, timely defense enough for Cowboys to survive
Detroit had three attempts at a two-point conversion, but couldn't convert
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1 min read
ARLINGTON, Texas -- There is only one word that could be used to sum up the Dallas Cowboys' Saturday night: perfect. The team improved to a perfect 8-0 at home in the 2023 regular season, running their home win streak up to 16 games, the length of what used to be an entire NFL regular season with a 20-19 victory over the NFC North champion Detroit Lions.
However, the game almost felt secondary to the history made at AT&T Stadium. Hall of Fame head coach Jimmy Johnson was finally inducted into the team's Ring of Honor at halftime. Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb broke Hall of Famer Michael Irvin's single-season franchise records for catches and receiving yards by totaling a career-high 227 yards and one touchdown on a career-high 13 catches with Irvin himself in attendance for Johnson's Ring of Honor induction.
The first touchdown of the game occurred thanks to Prescott's Houdini-like scrambling abilities and his connection with Lamb.
The completion is the longest of Prescott's career, the longest catch of Lamb's career as well as the second-longest completion in Cowboys history. The only completion longer in team history is Hall of Famer Bob Hayes' catching a 95-yard touchdown pass from Don Meredith in Washington in Week 10 of the 1966 season.
Lamb ended up breaking Irvin's catch record with his third catch of the night and his 112th of the season, but the play also came with a downside for Dallas. He fumbled the ball out of the end zone for a touchback to give the Detroit Lions the ball right as the Cowboys were about to go up 14-3.
Prescott came up clutch for the second week in a row, firing a go-ahead touchdown to receiver Brandin Cooks for an eight-yard touchdown with 7:20 left in the game. He finished with 345 yards, two touchdowns and an interception of 26 of 38 passing.
Unlike against the Dolphins a week ago, the Cowboys defense made game-winning plays to make Prescott's throw to Cooks stand up. Dallas safety Donovan Wilson anticipated Goff's throw underneath to budding superstar rookie tight end Sam LaPorta and made a diving interception to give the Cowboys the ball back inside the Lions' 30.
Dallas' ensuing drive ended with rookie kicker Brandon Aubrey's 35th consecutive made field goal this season to put the Cowboys up seven, 20-13, with 1:41 left in the game with the Lions out of timeouts. However, the Dallas defense broke, surrendering a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in just a minute and 18 seconds. The scoring strike was from Goff to wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown for 11 yards.
Then, chaos ensued. The Lions went for two and the win, and they appeared to have it after Goff completed a pass to offensive tackle Taylor Decker, number 68. However, Detroit reported tackle Dan Skipper, number 70 as eligible prior to the play. Therefore, the Lions were called for an illegal touching penalty. The Cowboys were in turn called for an infraction with Micah Parsons being called for being offsides. Finally, the sequence concluded with Dallas forcing an incomplete pass to hang on for the win.
Here's closer look at the Cowboys' big win.
Why the Cowboys won
We're not taking anything away from the Cowboys' win, but there's no denying that they were the beneficiaries of the controversial penalty against Decker on the Lions' two-point try. It appeared that Decker did notify the refs that he was lining up as an eligible receiver, but there was apparently a miscommunication between Decker and the officials.
That play aside, the Cowboys do deserve credit for making enough plays to beat a gamely Lions team. Specifically, the biggest difference in this game was Lamb, who had one of the greatest single-game performances by any player in Cowboys history.
Dallas' defense also came up big on several instances. One of the unit's biggest plays was Donovan's pick that ultimately set up the game-winning score.
Why the Lions lost
Detroit nearly played well enough to win, but came up short one too many times. Goff's inaccurate pass on the Lions' final two-point conversion attempt sealed the Lions' fate, but Detroit's missed fourth down attempt at the Cowboys' four-yard-line late in the first half also loomed large.
A delay of game penalty early in the fourth quarter also contributed to the loss. The Lions were all set to go for it on fourth-and-goal at the Cowboys' seven before the penalty forced them to settle for a field goal and a 13-10 lead.
Speaking of going for two, Dan Campbell was probably coaching with his heart when he decided to keep his offense on the field for a third two-point conversion attempt after a Cowboys penalty on Detroit's second try gave them yet another chance to win the game. At that point, it probably would have made more sense to kick the extra point and try your luck at overtime.
Turning point
After the Lions settled for three, the Cowboys took the lead for good after orchestrating a 9-play, 75-yard drive that was punctuated by Cooks' touchdown grab. Cooks helped set up his touchdown by making a key 21-yard catch on the drive's only third down play.
Play of the game
Decker's two-pointer that didn't count changed the outcome. Had the play counted, the Lions were on their way to win. But the officials determined that the Lions' veteran lineman was ineligible, negating the score.
Quotable
"I did what I was told to do." -- Decker explaining what happened prior to his two-point catch that didn't count
What's next
The Cowboys will close out the season in D.C. against the Commanders. The Lions will host the Vikings before the franchise hosts its first home playoff game since the 1991 season.
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Goff throws incomplete on a two-point attempt that had no shot at working. The pass was completed short of the end zone. The pass was bad and Mitchell had no shot at getting to the end zone.
Lions should have taken the point after. They didn't, and now the Lions are down by a point with the onside kick coming up.
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Unreal. Officials penalize the Lions bc Taylor didn't report as an eligible receiver.
Parsons picks off Lions' ensuing 2-point try, but there's another flag. Cowboys are offsides.
This is wild.
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Taylor Decker, one of the Lions' old guard and an OFFENSIVE LINEMAN, catches the 2-point conversion.
Incredible.
Late flag though.
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They only need one play. Goff hits St. Brown on a quick outside pass.
Lions going for 2 and the win.
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LaPorta with a first down, Goff spokes it at the 11 with 27 seconds left.
So basically Detroit has four downs to get 11 yards.
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Jourdan Lewis gets away with a clear DPI on St. Brown.
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Goff hits St. Brown at the Cowboys' 26, Goff spikes again, we've got 48 seconds left.
St. Brown is a terrific route runner, sold the deeper route, came underneath for the first down grab.
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There it is. Goff to LaPorta. Goff spikes it at the Cowboys' 40 with 1:02 left.
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Look for Goff to try to attack deep early.
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Cowboys have showed so far tonight that they have a defense that is good enough to take this team places they haven't been in three decades. Prescott and Lamb have showed that they are as prolific of a QB-WR duo as any duo in the NFL in decades. But they do have enough other options on offense? Will the running game get going?
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Cowboys to attempt a field goal to make it a seven-point game. Lions drain their timeouts but they have a decent amount of time to try to mount a game-tying drive.
Aubrey drills the kick, extending Cowboys lead to 20-13 with 1:41 left.
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Wow, what a turn of events. Donovan Wilson picks off Goff's quick pass for LaPorta. Wasn't a terrible throw, albeit should have been thrown more to the outside. More of a great play by Wilson.
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That's likely ballgame. Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson hauls in Goff's second interception of the night, putting Dallas on the Detroit 29 just before the two-minute warning up 17-13.
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LaPorta with a nice catch on first down to move the chains.
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Lions will take over at their own 11 with 2:33 left.
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Wow, Hutchinson comes up huge with his third sack of the night to force a Cowboys punt at midfield.
Once again, the Cowboys' lack of a running game really hurting them. Cowboys were in FG range, now they have to punt.
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Lamb with 216 receiving yards, a career high.
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Huge third down completion from Prescott to Lamb, and the Cowboys have a first down in Lions territory with under 4 minutes left. Cam Sutton is a solid corner, but he has had a tough night.
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Man, tough penalty against the Lions. Illegal contact is called, but I would have let it go. Prescott at no point looked towards the WR who was allegedly being contacted.
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Cowboys bring the pressure on third down and Goff forced to throw an off-target pass to St. Brown. Lawrence, again, providing the pressure. There's still 6 minutes left, but the Lions' defense has to come up big here.
The big Q: Can they stop Lamb? So far, the answer is no.
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Back and forth we go here in Arlington. Prescott answers the Lions field goal with his second touchdown pass of the night to receiver Brandin Cooks on an eight-yard strike to the right corner of the end zone. 17-13 with 7:20 left in the game.
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The Lions opt not to go for it on fourth down in the red zone like they did in the first half, taking the delay of game to set up a 30-yard field goal. Badgley drains it, and the Lions take a 13-10 lead with 12:18 left to play.
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Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis took a shot to the chest area while in pursuit of Jahmyr Gibbs on that last run play. He walks off the field under his own power.
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Despite Micah Parsons bearing down on Jared Goff, the Lions quarterback heaves a deep ball to receiver Jameson Williams for a 63-yard gain to get Detroit into the red zone at the Cowboys 14.
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Rookie Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey drains his 34th field goal of the season, the most in the NFL. He has yet to miss, and the 51-yarder marks his ninth make of 50+ yards this season. The game is tied at 10 with 23 seconds left in the third quarter.
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Promising Cowboys second-year left guard Tyler Smith is down following the play. However, he walks off the field under his own power. Undrafted rookie T.J. Bass out of Oregon will fill in.
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After the Cowboys punt, the Lions drain 7:26 off the clock and rumble into the end zone on a David Montgomery three-yard rushing score. Detroit retakes the lead, 10-7, with 4:34 left in the third quarter.
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The Cowboys' opening drive of the half was a microcosm of the first half. A few nice plays by Lamb, but a lack of a running game ultimately resulted in disappointment. A negative run by Pollard on first down was the beginning of the end of the drive.
Cowboys punt again, and the Lions are about to start their first drive of the half.
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Fittingly, a sack by Hutchinson ends what was a defensive first half. Cowboys on top, 7-3.
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