It's the fifth-worst loss in franchise history and the biggest blowout at home since owner Jerry Jones bought the team in 1989.
Our Top 10 Whitty Observations:
jerry dak money
10. HOME SOUR HOME - We won't bother attempting to analyze and/or critique what's going wrong with the Cowboys' defense at home this season. Instead, let's simply list the 15 first-half possessions of the New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens and Lions:
Lions: Touchdown/ Field Goal/ Touchdown/ Field Goal/ Touchdown
That's 11 touchdowns, two field goals and two punts. The Cowboys have allowed points on 13 of 15 first-half possessions.
Mike Zimmer, hang your head in shame. That's unacceptable.
9. FIRST-HALF FLOPS - But it's not, of course, only the defense that has stumbled out of the gate in Arlington. Not that long ago the Cowboys won 16 consecutive at AT&T Stadium. Now?
In their last four home games they've trailed at halftime by scores of 27-7 (Packers), 35-16 (Saints), 21-6 (Ravens) and 27-6 (Lions).
That's not a trend, it's an autopsy.
It's also an NFL record, joining the 2013-14 Raiders as the only two teams in league history to trail four consecutive home games by 15+ points at halftime.
They've surrendered 167 points in their last four home games, most since the Houston Oilers in 1972. Ouch.
8. BACK-TO-BACK BLOWOUTS - Just when you thought Texas 34, Oklahoma 3 was non-competitive, the Cowboys didn't look like they belonged on the same field with the faster, better and more innovative Lions. When Lions' offensive coordinator Ben Johnson called a hand-off, reverse, pitch and pass that worked for a wide-open 52-yard touchdown to tight end Sam LaPorta, it seriously looked the Varsity just monkeying around in a scrimmage with the JV.
7. DESPERATE MOVE - We get it, the Cowboys' defense was banged up without their top four defensive linemen and key linebacker Eric Kendricks. But the offense? Instead of finally activating running back Dalvin Cook, it got an extreme makeover along the offensive line.
In a surprise move that smacks of desperation, All-Pro left guard Tyler Smith started at left tackle in place of rookie first-round pick Tyler Guyton. Smith moved to left tackle last week against the Steelers after Guyton left with a knee injury. Second-year pro T.J. Bass started at left guard.
Guyton, struggling with penalties and pass-blocking in his rookie season, was active.
More confusion: In the wake of Dallas' best rushing game of the season and an apparent "breakout" game from running back Rico Dowdle against Pittsburgh, um ... in the first half Rico got two carries while Ezekiel Elliott got five.
Does not compute.
6. BLAH BRADY - Tom Brady might have been A+ as a quarterback, but he's C- as an analyst. We keep wanting to hear unique insight and enlightening perspective from the seven-time Super Bowl champ. But we keep not hearing it. Instead, just general info and tired cliches delivered in a loud, rushed cadence seemingly coming from a guy watching a game that's moving too fast him.
Closest Brady came to honest criticism of the Cowboys was after a David Montgomery run in which defensive backs Trevon Diggs and Malik Hooker gave half-hearted attempts: "Do you want to tackle him ... or do you not want to tackle him?"
5. BIG BUMMER - With the game already in garbage time at 34-6 early in third quarter, the Lions endured a devastating blow when NFL sacks leader and defensive captain Aiden Hutchinson suffered what appeared to a broken left leg on a tackle of Dak Prescott.
His lower leg violently whipped into a teammate's upper leg while dragging the quarterback to the ground. Medical personnel immediately placed his leg in an air cast and he was carted from the field.
4. DEJA BOO - It happened late in the second quarter. Cowboys fans at AT&T Stadium finally had enough.
It wasn't just the hideous performance by the defense, but also the continued lack of chemistry between Prescott and receiver CeeDee Lamb. Down 20-3, the two miscommunicated on a route and Prescott's pass fell harmlessly to the turf miles from anyone.
"Booooooooooooooooo!"
CeeDee held out of training camp wanting more money. Dak makes more money than any player in NFL history. Now both have their money but aren't anywhere close to earning it. Hmm. For the second consecutive game Dak threw a bonehead Red Zone interception and for the season now has four turnovers in scoring territory.
Wonder if the two stars will offer Jones a refund? The fans' boos let them hear about it, a one-word way of saying, "We demand a refund.'' And not just from Dak and company. Cowboys Nation's investment here might wish there was some way Jerry could give everybody a discount, too.
3. WOE & THREE - The Cowboys have lost the first three home games of a season for the first time since 2010. That year they stumbled to 1-7, prompting Jerry to make his only in-season firing of a head coach in Wade Phillips.
Is Mike McCarthy's lame-duck seating beginning to warm?
2. CRAPPY BIRTHDAY! - Jerry turned 82 Sunday. Wondering if he's contemplating turning the page on this season ... or at least this coach? Sure, the owner's team can slop its way to ugly, low-scoring wins over opponents with putrid offenses like the Giants and Steelers. But against the NFL's elite - Ravens and Lions - it's been a glaring mismatch. Next up after what will be a long Bye week: at the San Francisco 49ers.
1. DAN THE MAN - Lions' head coach Dan Campbell proved he had a sense of humor. Then he got the last laugh. After last December's "illegal reporting" fiasco that led to his team's dramatic one-point loss, Campbell had the same player - offensive lineman Dan Skipper - again report as an eligible receiver on the game's first play.
Touche. His team - players and coaching staff - then ran circles around Dallas in fully exacting revenge. You think the Lions didn't want a little revenge?
Leading 37-9 late in the third quarter they called a short pass with a designed lateral to right tackle Penei Sewel. The trick touchdown, however, was negated by a penalty. ... but was to the Lions a play well worth trying - unlike everything Jerry and Dak's team tried to do, which wasn't worth $10 billion or $240 million or anything close to it.
when you have the 32nd ranked offensive line that can't run block or pass block, the 32nd ranked run game, and the 32nd ranked run defense, you are 100% one-dimensional on both sides of the ball so it's extremely easy for other teams to defend (just send pass rushers every play and keep everything in front of you) and attack (run the ball right down their gut, which will open up the pass game... and with them missing their 2 best CBs, it's easy peasy to move the ball and score). with their horrible OL and running backs and with all the injuries on their defense, this is easily the worst roster in Dallas Cowboys history.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.
Local News
