Detroit Lions football is back after a brief hiatus and they have a big NFC road matchup on Sunday.
The Lions are playing the Dallas Cowboys on the road on Sunday afternoon. The Lions (3-1) are coming off their early Week 5 bye and have some key players back in the lineup on both sides of the ball, while the Cowboys (3-2) are coming off a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Lions are leading the Cowboys 47-9 in the third quarter. Detroit dominated the first 30 minutes, scoring on every offensive drive while limiting the Cowboys to a pair of field goals. The Lions jumped ahead 10-3 thanks to a David Montgomery touchdown and Brian Branch interception, followed by a 52-yard trick play touchdown to Sam LaPorta . The Lions finished the half with another field goal from Jake Bates and a second Montgomery touchdown run.
Detroit started the second half with a 37-yard touchdown to Jameson Williams, who got behind the defense easily with his speed. The Lions added two more field goals and a touchdown from Amon-Ra St. Brown after a second Branch interception.
Star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was carted off in the third quarter with a serious leg injury and cornerback Carlton Davis left a few plays later after a hit to the head and entered concussion protocol.
There was controversy the last time these two teams met in Week 17 last season. The Lions seemingly took the lead in the final moments with a successful 2-point conversion on a tackle-eligible pass to left tackle Taylor Decker. But, referees called an illegal touching penalty after mixing him up with reserve tackle Dan Skipper.
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Lions vs. Cowboys live updates, game highlights
This is a career game for Brian Branch and the Lions have their most points in a game this season.
The Lions' safety came down with an errant Prescott pass over the middle and returned it inside Dallas' 10-yard line. A play later, Jared Goff hit Amon-Ra St. Brown on a quick out for an immediate touchdown. Branch has now forced three turnovers with two interceptions and a forced fumble. Goff is 18-for-25 for 315 yards and three touchdowns.
Jake Bates joins the list of Lions having a great day. The kicker made his fourth field goal to move to 9-for-9 this season. The Lions ran the ball and took time off the clock after the fumble and reached the red zone once again, but could not crack the end zone because of two penalties. Ben Johnson dialed up a hook and lateral pass to right tackle Penei Sewell, but it was called back on an illegal man downfield. On third-and-goal, Goff hit Jameson Williams for a touchdown, but Jahmyr Gibbs was called for offensive pass interference.
Brian Branch is having himself a career day. He forced a second turnover by punching out a ball from Ryan Flournoy and Terrion Arnold was right there to scoop it up at the Detroit 29-yard line. The play was reviewed but stood after a second look.
The Lions drove down the field without much resistance again, this time ending in a third field goal from Jake Bates. The Lions tried to dial up the same, infamous trick play they ran last year in Dallas, a pass to left tackle Taylor Decker, but it was knocked incomplete and Montgomery got stuffed at the line.
The drive, though it ended in just a field goal, was a worst-case scenario after losing Hutchinson to a serious injury and Carlton Davis, who had to enter concussion protocol. But, the defense was able to get off the field with a sack after the long break to get Hutchinson off the field.
One of the worst things that could've happened to the Lions in this blowout just occurred.
Aidan Hutchinson remained on the ground after sacking Dak Prescott and trainers immediately came out. His leg bent beneath him and the Fox broadcast declined to show a replay but did show Hutchinson's face in a considerable amount of pain saying he may have broken his leg.
The beatdown is on.
The Lions got the ball first coming out of halftime and put together a drive into Dallas territory, then opened things up with a shot to Jameson Williams on a deep post. Williams burned past Trevon Diggs and Goff's pass landed perfectly in his hands for the 37-yard touchdown.
The Lions had a busted coverage on the kickoff after the touchdown resulting in a 79-yard return to Detroit's 30. But, the Lions' defense held firm and the Cowboys settled for a field goal before halftime.
Everything is going the Lions' way this half. The Cowboys went for it on fourth down in their own territory, but Terrion Arnold played perfect coverage on a slant to give the ball back to the offense at Dallas' 38. Jared Goff hit Tim Patrick for an 18-yard gain, then found him again on a quick out to reach the 1-yard line. Montgomery jumped over the pile a play later for his second score.
The Lions defense forced a quick three-and-out thanks to a sack from Alim McNeill and the offense put points on the board again. David Montgomery ripped off a 17-yard run to start things, then Goff found Amon-Ra St. Brown for 16 yards to reach the Dallas 33. The Lions went for it on fourth-and-2 and Jahmyr Gibbs got just enough on a between-the-tackles run, but Jared Goff was sacked on the ensuing third down to force the field goal. Jake Bates hit the 48-yarder, his longest of the season, to stay a perfect 7-for-7 on field goals.
Ben Johnson did it again.
This time, the Lions offensive coordinator drew up a double reverse flea flicker, with the ball ending back in the hands of Jared Goff, who fired a dart to a wide-open Sam LaPorta on a wheel route for the 52-yard touchdown.
LaPorta's longest touchdown in 2023 came on a similar play against the Carolina Panthers.
The Lions continued running the ball well on their second drive, picking up three straight first downs on the ground. Jameson Williams then dropped what could have been a touchdown over the middle, but came back with a 15-yard catch the next play. But the drive stalled out there with a Jared Goff incompletion and a Jahmyr Gibbs pitch that went backward. But, Jake Bates easily hit the 40-yard kick to make the lead a touchdown.
Brian Branch made the first big defensive play of the afternoon. The Cowboys were driving again after a big completion down the sideline to Jalen Tolbert against Terrion Arnold and a third down completion to Kevontae Turpin, but the Lions' safety stopped them. On third-and-5 from the Lions' 7, Prescott tried to hit CeeDee Lamb on a corner route in the back of the end zone, but Brian Branch drifted back from covering the flat and made a leaping interception.
The Lions' first drive ended with a trip to the end zone on another bruising run from David Montgomery a day after he signed an extension with the team. The drive started with a 45-yard bomb down the sideline to Tim Patrick, who adjusted and caught Jared Goff's underthrown pass. Montgomery took over from there, going for seven yards then 16 yards for a touchdown. He ran through multiple Cowboys and showed impressive balance to find the goal line.
The Cowboys won the toss and elected to receive. Dak Prescott completed his first four passes to move into Detroit territory and picked up another first down on a holding call against Alex Anzalone that negated an interception. But, Detroit's defense got a stop in the red zone with Carlton Davis getting a nice stop against CeeDee Lamb 1-on-1 in coverage and Aidan Hutchinson nearly sacking Prescott and drawing a holding on third down.
Linebacker James Houston, offensive lineman Colby Sorsdal and rookies Isaiah Williams, Loren Strickland, Gio Manu and Lauren Strickland are the five Lions' inactive players. Houston has been on the edge of the roster equation all year and elevated Isaac Ukwu from the practice squad instead.
Lions vs. Cowboys pregame notes
The Lions are healthier coming off their bye week with center Frank Ragnow and safety Brian Branch back and face a depleted Cowboys team dealing with injuries at all three levels of the defense.
The Lions started to click on offense last game against the Seahawks. The running game clicked on a new level powered by Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, now armed with a new contract , and married well with a play-action heavy approach that quarterback Jared Goff perfected and went 18-for-18.
The Cowboys are coming off a 20-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, when scored a touchdown with 20 seconds left. They are missing four starters on defense, including Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence on the defensive line, but still have a dangerous offense led by Dak Prescott and superstar receiver CeeDee Lamb. The Lions want revenge for last year's controversial lass in Dallas in Week 17.
TV channel: Fox.
Streaming live: Fubo ( free trial ).
Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1) in Detroit (find all Lions radio affiliates ).
Fox has its No. 1 broadcast team calling the action, with Kevin Burkhardt on play-by-play, Tom Brady as the analyst, and Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi on the sideline.
Detroit Lions vs. Dallas Cowboys start time
Date: Sunday, Oct. 13.
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET.
Where: AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Lions vs. Cowboys prediction, picks
Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press : The Lions lost in controversial fashion to the Cowboys last year, after officials incorrectly administered a tackle-eligible 2-point conversion after a late touchdown. And while no one in the Lions’ locker room is hung up on that result, my sense is this team definitely feels like it owes the Cowboys one. The Lions should get their revenge Sunday against a Dallas team that’s shorthanded on defense and not yet as cohesive as it was in winning the NFC East a season ago.
The Cowboys are still a dangerous team, but they haven’t run the ball particularly well this year and can’t stop the run, and that should allow the Lions offense to get some traction early. CeeDee Lamb obliterated the Lions last season with 13 catches for 227 yards and a 97-yard touchdown. As long as the Lions keep him relatively in check Sunday, they should head into next week’s NFC North showdown with the Minnesota Vikings with three straight wins. The pick: Lions 31, Cowboys 20.
Lions vs. Cowboys betting odds
- Spread: Lions by 3.
- Over/under: 53 points.
- Moneyline: Lions -175, Cowboys +145.
Odds courtesy of BetMGM on Sunday afternoon.
Lions vs. Cowboys injury report
The Lions have center Frank Ragnow and safety Brian Branch back in the lineup after missing Monday night's game two weeks ago. Ragnow is back three weeks after partially tearing a pectoral muscle and Branch is cleared from concussion protocol. The Lions should be fully healthy outside of recent players who went to the IR such as Marcus Davenport and Derrick Barnes.
The Cowboys are banged up, especially on defense. Edge rushers Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence and rookie Marshawn Kneeland (Western Michigan) are out, along with cornerback DaRon Bland, linebacker Eric Kendricks and wide receiver Brandin Cooks.
- Sunday, Sept. 8: L.A. Rams, ( W 26-20, OT )
- Sunday, Sept. 15: Tampa Bay, ( L 20-16 )
- Sunday, Sept. 22: at Arizona, ( W 20-13 )
- Monday, Sept. 30: Seattle, 8:15 ( W 42-29 )
- Oct. 6: Bye
- Sunday, Oct. 13: at Dallas, 4:25
- Sunday, Oct. 20: at Minnesota, 1
- Sunday, Oct. 27: Tennessee, 1
- Sunday, Nov. 3: at Green Bay, 4:25
- Sunday, Nov. 10: at Houston, 8:20
- Sunday, Nov. 17: Jacksonville, 1
- Sunday, Nov. 24: at Indianapolis, 1
- Thursday, Nov. 28: Chicago, 12:30
- Thursday, Dec. 5: Green Bay, 8:15
- Sunday, Dec. 15: Buffalo, 4:25
- Sunday, Dec. 22: at Chicago, 1
- Monday, Dec. 30: at San Francisco, 8:15
- TBA: Minnesota, TBA
- Feb. 9, Super Bowl LIX: in New Orleans
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Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press covering the city's professional teams, the state's two flagship universities and more. Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22 , and email him at jramsey@freepress.com.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions vs. Dallas Cowboys score today: Live updates in NFL Week 6 showdown
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