Detroit Lions @ Dallas Cowboys
Final Score: DET 47 – DAL 9
Writer: Cesar Escajeda (@cescajeda13 on Twitter)
Detroit made the trip down south and dominated across the board in Big D. A massively impressive win for the Lions, and yet another home blowout for the Cowboys, who enter their bye at a crossroads at .500.
Three Up
- Jared Goff, QB (DET) – Fresh off the bye week and two weeks removed from a perfect passing game against Seattle, Jared Goff picked right back up where he left off and throttled the Cowboys’ defense. It was slightly shaky at first, but once Detroit got into their groove, there was simply no stopping him. He threw excellent lobs time and time again, averaging 12.6 yards per attempt with three scores through the air and a 153.8 passer rating. His best pass was a 37-yard heave to wide receiver Jameson Williams that was put in the perfect window for the score.
- David Montgomery, RB (DET) – David Montgomery signed a two-year extension with Detroit and rewarded them for their faith with a two-touchdown day on the ground against the Cowboys. He had absolutely no problem carving up their front seven, going 6.7 yards-per-carry (YPC) behind a truly elite Lions’ offensive line. The entire run game on the day was unstoppable – even Tom Brady was impressed from the booth. There were plays where Montgomery was 10 yards downfield before even being touched.
- The Detroit Lions Coaching Staff – Between head coach Dan Campbell, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, the Lions are a very solidly coached squad. On offense and defense, Detroit had their way with an undermanned Cowboys team from the start, and never once let their foot fall off the gas pedal. The defense was constantly flying to the football and forcing turnovers; the offense was calling trick-play throws for offensive tackles – it all speaks volumes to the talent on this roster and the possibilities abound for the NFC North contenders. A statement win in Dallas should surely put the rest of the league on notice – this team is legitimate.
Three Down
- Dak Prescott, QB (DAL) – For a second consecutive week, Dak Prescott threw two interceptions. You can’t pin the entire loss on the veteran quarterback, but his turnovers and errant throws really didn’t help. He was harassed all day by the Lions front seven, sacked four times overall, and just did not look comfortable in the pocket. Sure, it likely contributed to his woes – but even with time, he struggled to make the correct reads and failed to put the ball in position for his receivers. The most concerning aspect is his connection with wide receiver CeeDee Lamb – right now there isn’t one. The stand-out pair is just ridiculously off, and it has not improved through the first six weeks of the season. He and his receiving corps better spend the bye week getting back into rhythm, otherwise these blowouts will likely continue with the daunting schedule they have ahead.
- Mike McCarthy – The Cowboys sit at 3-3 on the season. All three losses have come at home, and all three in blowout fashion. The offense is stagnant, uncreative, and one-dimensional; the defense is undermanned with injuries, and overrun. This was always assumed to be a sort-of lame duck year for Dallas after the lack of success in the five years of McCarthy’s reign – but he desperately needs to find a way to win in the final year of his contract, for his job’s sake. The loss to Detroit was the worst loss in AT&T Stadium history – the Cowboys fan base is restless, and after 29 years (and counting) of failed expectations, Jerry Jones might have his hand forced early in the season.
- Injuries – This may have been a Pyrrhic victory for Detroit; the gruesome injury to the leg of star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson put a monstrous damper on the day. The Lions pass rush will certainly take a hit going forward, but that’s a mute issue – Hutchinson’s health is paramount at this point. The hope is that the immediate surgery he underwent for his fractured tibia is successful and that the young lineman out of Michigan will be OK. It was a scary sight in Arlington, and one no one wants to see happen.
Detroit Lions
Quarterback
Jared Goff: 18/25, 315 Yards, 3 TDs | 3 Carries, 5 Yards
It’s early, but Goff is sure looking like a league MVP.
Goff came into Dallas and established his will all afternoon. It was impressive to witness just how surgical he can be with the long ball, and the playcalling complimented this perfectly, especially for all three of his touchdown throws. He was slightly off to start the game but quickly fell into rhythm behind the running game, and it was just lights out from there for the Cowboys’ defense. Don’t look now, but after two blowout wins against NFC competitors, Goff should be in the discussion as an MVP candidate going forward.
Hendon Hooker: 1/2, 19 Yards | 1 Carry, -1 Yard
The game was over by halftime; Hendon Hooker entered the game late in relief with all of the starters out.
Running Back
David Montgomery: 12 Carries, 80 Yards, 2 TDs | 1 Targets, 1 Reception
There was no stopping Monty in this one.
Montgomery and fellow running back Jahmyr Gibbs split carries evenly, and while both saw success, Montgomery dominated the day. There was nothing but daylight for the Lions’ rushing attack behind their dominant offensive line, and Montgomery made the most of it with his 80 yards and two physical touchdowns. He had the majority of red zone touches and felt like the more consistent runner through the game for Detroit. It’s likely frustrating for Gibbs managers, but after signing his extension just days ago, Montgomery is here to stay.
Jahmyr Gibbs: 12 Carries, 63 Yards | 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 28 Yards
Gibbs took a backseat in this matchup but still put up quality numbers on the day.
The carries split evenly for the tandem out of the Detroit backfield, but the former Alabama Crimson Tide running back didn’t make much of it until later in the game. It was still an efficient and impressive outing all things considered, with Gibbs averaging 5.3 YPC and doing damage in the passing game. He is still a focal point for the offense of the Lions, but with a multitude of options to feed, it may be hard to guess when he’ll have his truly standout days.
Craig Reynolds: 6 Carries, 21 Yards, 1 FUM (Recovered)
Sione Vaki: 1 Carry, 5 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Jameson Williams: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 76 Yards, 1 TD | 1 Carry, 11 Yards
It wasn’t exactly voluminous, but Williams made the most of his opportunities.
The lightning-fast wideout caught a really nicely placed ball from Goff after burning cornerback Trevon Diggs for his score. It only took four targets for Williams to lead all Lions’ pass catchers with 76 yards, and it’s clear to this point that offensive coordinator Ben Johnson wants him to be a key contributor in this offense.
Kalif Raymond: 6 Targets, 4 Receptions, 73 Yards
Raymond, of all players, led the Lions on the day in targets and had himself a pretty productive game overall. The WR3 in Detroit has been a non-factor to this point in the season, so it was encouraging that he was so involved on the day against.
Amon-Ra St. Brown: 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 37 Yards
It wasn’t the usual dominance we tend to see from the Sun god, but he salvaged his day with the Lions’ final touchdown in Arlington.
There are too many mouths to keep fed on the Lions’ roster these days, so it’s not surprising (albeit, still disappointing) that Amon-Ra St. Brown took a backseat on Sunday afternoon. He wasn’t left out completely from the scoring, however, as Goff connected with him on the starters’ final drive for a four-yard touchdown.
Sam LaPorta: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 52 Yards, 1 TD
The second-year tight end made his presence known on a single throw from Goff.
It was a very well-designed play that sprung Sam LaPorta free for his score, but the young tight end’s talent was on full display as he raced 52 yards for the touchdown. He was also invaluable in the running game, helping to make key blocks to open up lanes for Montgomery, Gibbs, and Co.
Tim Patrick: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 68 Yards
Patrick of all receivers was a surprise on the day. After multiple missed seasons with injury, the former Denver Broncos wide receiver made himself a weapon for Goff, hitting long gaps in the Cowboys’ secondary for chunk gains. He even had himself a touchdown before replay ruled him down inside the 1-yard line. It was a solid bounce-back performance for the veteran, and one that he can continue to build on amongst the overabundance of weaponry in Detroit.
Allen Robinson: 1 Target
Taylor Decker: 1 Target
You know it’s a blowout when tackles are getting targets.
Brock Wright: 1 Target
Dallas Cowboys
Quarterback
Dak Prescott: 17/33, 178 Yards, 2 INTs | 1 Carry, 1 Yard
It was rough sledding to say the least for Dak and the Cowboys.
Prescott could not find footing against a relentless Lions’ pass rush, being continually pressured throughout the game. While his offensive line refused to afford him time in the pocket, he also made sure to squander the game away even further through two ugly interceptions, continuing his trend of bad play from the Sunday night game against Pittsburgh. His 5.4 yards-per-throw average was pedestrian at best, and you have to wonder if it’s Prescott, the play calling, or both, that’s strapping this offense down of late.
I will say, Prescott had a decent first possession to kick the game off. The Cowboys were able to move into position for an early field goal to put Dallas up by three. That being said, the writing was on the wall for the offense from the very beginning – on that drive he lobbed a pass straight to a Lions defender in the red zone that was called back for defensive holding. He made up for it later though by again, lobbing a pass straight to Lions safety Brian Branch in the endzone for his first interception.
It’s been bad for Dak and the offense – hopefully, the upcoming bye week can afford them time to fix their issues.
Cooper Rush: 8/11, 46 Yards, 1 INT | 1 Carry, 2 Yards
Cooper Rush actually entered the game for Prescott before the Lions pulled their starters. It basically sums up just how bad the Cowboys were offensively in this one.
Running Back
Rico Dowdle: 5 Carries, 25 Yards | 6 Targets, 5 Receptions, 30 Yards
Another game, another abysmal rushing performance by Rico Dowdle and the Cowboys.
Like death and taxes, it’s a given that watching the Cowboys will involve watching the running game fail to take off. Dowdle was at least efficient with 5.0 YPC – the problem was, he only got five total carries with Dallas falling behind early. To add insult to injury, fellow running back Ezekiel Elliott received more carries (with the “frustration with his usage” coming to light in the media this week) and did substantially less with them.
At least the passing game involvement helped his fantasy day a bit.
Ezekiel Elliott: 8 Carries, 17 Yards
As good as the veteran has been, it makes sense why his usage has been down through the first six weeks of the season. There is just not enough production here, unfortunately.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
CeeDee Lamb: 14 Targets, 7 Receptions, 89 Yards | 1 Carry, 2 Yards
All the targets in the world, and still Lamb could not make the most of his struggling rapport with Prescott.
The game began well enough with an impressive one-armed grab by Lamb that he turned into a nice 27-yard gain – but it was all downhill from there, as the elite receiver just could not connect with Dak on the majority of the afternoon. Choosing who is to blame definitively is difficult – there were plays where Prescott completely sailed the throw or threw it behind his wide receiver. Lamb on his end, however, certainly shoulders some of it; he was unable to shake coverage and ran what appeared to be incorrect routes multiple times in the outing. His numbers aren’t the worst, but it’s just not what we’ve come to expect from Lamb on a weekly basis.
Jalen Tolbert: 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 43 Yards
Jalen Tolbert had some flashy catches, but also some rookie mistakes against Detroit.
It’s been encouraging to watch the young wideout’s progression as the WR2 with fellow receiver Brandin Cooks on IR. He had some highlight receptions on the day that looked great but followed them up with key drops on catchable balls that kept the offense behind the sticks. There’s certainly promise here, but Tolbert needs consistency to really show out for the Cowboys offense.
Kavontae Turpin: 7 Targets, 4 Receptions, 24 Yards, 1 FUM (Lost) | 1 Carry, 6 Yards
It certainly appears like Dallas is making a concerted effort to get Kavontae Turpin the ball in space. His seven targets were second behind only Lamb, and his speed was on display for a number of his routes run. The volume was nice to see, and his skill on special teams is a given (194 total yards on four kickoff return attempts), but like the rest of the Cowboys offense, he had an afternoon to forget. His fumble put the cherry on top for the Lions, their fifth takeaway on the day.
Jake Ferguson: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 11 Yards
Jake Ferguson had a much quieter day than usual. He had a number of targets, but the Lions’ safeties and linebackers held him in check for minimal gains on each of his receptions.
Jalen Brooks: 6 Targets, 1 Receptions, 15 Yards
Ryan Flournoy: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 12 Yards, 1 FUM (Lost)