Coming off their Week 10 bye, the Dallas Cowboys looked like a team on a mission. Three games in 11 days, three wins-over the Raiders, Eagles, and Chiefs.
That stretch didn’t just revive their season; it reasserted them as a legitimate threat in the NFC playoff picture. But any momentum they’d built came to a screeching halt in Week 14, when they ran into a Detroit Lions team that was just as desperate-and a whole lot more opportunistic.
The 44-30 loss in primetime wasn’t just a setback. It was a reminder that, for all the things Dallas does well, there are still glaring issues that can’t be ignored-especially on special teams.
Turnovers Told Part of the Story
Let’s start with the obvious: turnovers. They’re always going to swing games, and Thursday night was no exception.
Jake Ferguson’s fumble and Dak Prescott’s first interception both turned directly into Lions touchdowns. That’s a 14-point swing right there, and in a game that was still within reach heading into the fourth quarter, those mistakes loomed large.
Prescott’s second pick came with just over a minute left and didn’t impact the outcome, but the damage had already been done. Detroit capitalized on Dallas’ miscues, and that efficiency was the difference.
Kick Coverage Was a Major Problem
But turnovers weren’t the only issue. If you’re looking for the hidden stat that told the story of this game, it’s kickoff return yardage.
The Cowboys gave up a staggering 261 yards on eight returns. That’s not just a bad day at the office-that’s a full-blown crisis.
Detroit’s average starting field position after a Dallas kickoff? Their own 36.5-yard line.
That’s essentially gifting an offense a first down before the drive even begins. And when the Lions needed to close the door late in the game, they got returns out to the 41 and 49-yard lines, scoring touchdowns on both drives.
That’s backbreaking stuff for a defense already on its heels.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer didn’t sugarcoat it during his Monday press conference. "The kickoff coverage leverage has not been very good," he said.
"We've lost contain." He pointed to technique breakdowns-players not staying in their lanes, not keeping the correct arm free, and trying to freelance instead of trusting the structure.
Expect personnel changes in that phase of the game this week. Schottenheimer made it clear: accountability is coming.
A Season-Long Issue, Not Just a One-Game Fluke
Here’s the troubling part: this isn’t new. Dallas has allowed 1,620 kickoff return yards this season-the fourth-most in the NFL.
Only the Bills, Colts, and Buccaneers have been worse. That’s not a blip.
That’s a trend.
And it’s not just about yardage. It’s about what it means for the defense.
Starting every drive with your back already against the wall is a tough way to live in the NFL. The Cowboys' defense has been solid for most of the season, but even the best units will struggle if they’re constantly defending short fields.
The Path Forward: No Room for Error
The good news? Dallas is still in the hunt.
The Eagles’ Monday night loss to the Chargers gave the Cowboys a sliver of hope in the NFC East. But that margin is razor thin.
To have any shot at the division-or even a wild card-they likely need to win out.
That starts this Sunday night against the Minnesota Vikings, and while Minnesota’s offense doesn’t have the same firepower as Detroit’s, they’re not exactly toothless either. Rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy is coming off the best game of his young career, and he’s starting to look more comfortable in the system.
And here’s the kicker-literally. The Vikings are averaging 26.23 yards per kickoff return this season.
That’s not far off from Detroit’s 26.91-yard average. If Dallas doesn’t clean up its coverage issues, they could be staring at another game where field position becomes the hidden X-factor.
Final Thoughts
The Cowboys have the talent. That much isn’t in question.
But talent only gets you so far when you’re handing your opponent extra yards and extra possessions. Special teams often go overlooked-until they don’t.
For Dallas, that phase of the game is now front and center, and if they don’t fix it fast, it might be the very thing that keeps them out of the postseason.