To make matters worse, the Dallas Cowboys lost their season-saving game in Detroit against the Lions 44-30 at Ford Field on Sunday. The loss ended up being the Cowboys’ first defeat in more than a month, falling their record to 6-6-1. The Cowboys just rejoiced as though they’d just traded for defensive tackle Quinnen Williams at the trade deadline. They could not hold onto their lead versus a desperate Lions club.
The match-up was instrumental for both sides of the ball, a fact heavily stressed by the Cowboys’ head coach Brian Schottenheimer. The heat on quarterback Dak Prescott only increased the entire game, with Prescott staring down a constant, impactful surge of pressure from Detroit’s defensive line. It is no small feat that Prescott was pressured a ridiculous 20 times, including 10 of those on him in just the fourth quarter! He was pressured on other plays and sacked five times in the game, completely disrupting the Cowboys overall offensive flow.
Pro Bowl wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was lost after taking a concussion in the third quarter. This injury made things even harder for the Cowboys’ mission to comeback against Detroit. The young team fought tooth and nail to turn it into a one-score game twice in the fourth quarter, but came up just short.
On offense, Jahmyr Gibbs was dazzling, with three catches and three touchdowns on long, impressive runs. That skill set proved vital in the Lions’ offensive explosion. The Cowboys only rushed for 3.8 yards per carry. Even Prescott’s longest run on the night was not much — a mere 12-yard scamper.
Reflecting on the game, Schottenheimer noted, “The complementary football wasn’t what it was the past several weeks.” This beautiful comment lays bare the uphill battle the Cowboys have ahead of them in recapturing their former glory.
Though the loss ended the Rattlers’ undefeated season, Prescott had higher hopes than just winning the game. “I don’t know if I can say we control our own destiny,” he admitted, acknowledging that their playoff hopes now heavily rely on external factors. He added, “Being 6-6-1 right now with [four] left now, yeah, I’m pretty sure — especially with just the way some of the divisions are shaped, the North, the West — we’re going to need some things to happen for us.”
The Cowboys went on to have lots of success after getting Williams. They earned wins against powerhouses like the Las Vegas Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. This latest loss has raised concerns about their playoff prospects as they head into their upcoming game against the Minnesota Vikings on December 14.
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