Cowboys, Lions Trade Blows in First Half as Mistakes and Missed Chances Define the Tempo
First Quarter
The Cowboys came into this one looking to set the tone early, winning the toss and deferring to the second half-a classic move when you trust your defense. But Detroit wasted no time testing Dallas, dialing up Amon-Ra St.
Brown on the very first play. It was a modest 7-yard gain, but it sent a clear message: the Lions' top weapon was active and ready.
Dallas managed to force a third down just two plays later, but Jahmyr Gibbs slipped through for the conversion. That would become a theme early on-Gibbs giving the Cowboys fits with his quick cuts and acceleration.
Once the Lions reached the red zone, though, the Cowboys defense tightened up. Donovan Ezeiruaku came up with a big tackle for loss, and James Houston-facing his former team-sacked Jared Goff to stall the drive.
The Lions settled for a field goal to open the scoring.
The Cowboys offense came out with some rhythm. Dak Prescott connected with George Pickens early, then found Jake Ferguson on a tough second-and-15 conversion.
But when the drive hit third-and-10, the Lions defense stood tall and forced a field goal attempt. Enter Brandon Aubrey, who drilled a 57-yarder to tie it up.
That’s become routine for him, but it’s still not something you take for granted.
SCORE: Cowboys 3, Lions 3
On the next drive, Dallas’ defense began to assert itself. The pass rush was relentless, and Jared Goff was under constant pressure.
One incompletion even looked like a fumble in real time, though it was ultimately ruled a forward pass. Either way, it was a quick three-and-out, and the Cowboys were back in business.
But then came the field position battle, and Dallas lost it badly. A penalty on the punt return pinned them inside their own 5-yard line.
That kind of territory is dangerous, and the Lions pounced. On third down, Prescott was sacked in the end zone-initially ruled a safety, but reversed after review.
Still, the damage was done. The Cowboys had to punt from deep in their own end, and the Lions took over at the Dallas 42.
That kind of starting field position is a gift for a team like Detroit. Even with a failed gadget play involving Dan Skipper (yes, they’re still trying that), the Lions leaned on their stars.
St. Brown made a big play, and David Montgomery finished the job with a touchdown run.
Just like that, Detroit had the first trip to the end zone.
The first quarter ended with the Cowboys offense starting to find its footing again, but they were still chasing.
Second Quarter
The Cowboys opened the second quarter with a gritty drive that felt like a grind from start to finish. Every yard was a battle.
CeeDee Lamb finally got involved, and KaVontae Turpin added a wrinkle with a handoff, but the Lions defense made them earn every inch. On third-and-10, Detroit brought the heat, forcing a field goal attempt.
Once again, Aubrey delivered-this time from 42 yards out.
SCORE: Cowboys 6, Lions 10
Then things got a little strange.
On Detroit’s next possession, a false start on second down backed them up, but they clawed back most of the yardage with a 13-yard gain. Facing third-and-2, it looked like multiple Cowboys defenders jumped early.
Jared Goff certainly thought so, launching a deep shot like he had a free play. But no flag came, the pass fell incomplete, and the Lions were forced to punt after a quick three-and-out.
The Cowboys had a golden opportunity to flip the momentum-and for a moment, it looked like they might. Prescott hit Lamb for a big gain, a spark that had the offense humming.
But then came the backbreaker. A backwards pass-awkward and off rhythm-led to a big loss.
On third down, Prescott dumped it off to Ferguson, who coughed it up. A promising drive ended in disaster.
Detroit didn’t waste the gift. After a sluggish start to their next possession, David Montgomery broke loose again, this time for a 35-yard touchdown run.
It was his second of the night, and it stung. Montgomery had been a problem all half, and this run was the exclamation point.
With time winding down in the half, the Cowboys looked to answer. Because they deferred to start the game, they had a chance to double-dip-score before halftime, then get the ball back to open the third. That’s the kind of sequence that can swing a game.
They got a big break when George Pickens drew a pass interference call that moved them deep into Lions territory. But the flags started flying both ways.
Jake Ferguson was called for illegal hands to the face, and then Pickens got flagged later in the drive. Penalties were killing the Cowboys’ momentum.
Eventually, they faced a third-and-15 near midfield with just over a minute to go. Detroit, sensing a chance to get the ball back, called timeout.
On the next play, Ferguson picked up 11 yards-just short of the sticks. Prescott looked ready to go for it on fourth-and-4, but the coaching staff played it safe.
Aubrey came on again and knocked through another field goal, trimming the deficit.
Detroit wasn’t content to run out the clock. They moved quickly downfield and set up a 47-yard field goal attempt as time expired. The kick was good.
Halftime Score: Lions 20, Cowboys 9
Through two quarters, this game has been a tug-of-war between two teams trying to impose their will. The Cowboys have had their moments-especially on defense-but mistakes, penalties, and a costly turnover have kept them from taking control. Meanwhile, Detroit has leaned on Montgomery’s power and Goff’s poise, capitalizing on short fields and miscues.
There’s still a lot of football left, and with Dallas getting the ball to start the second half, the chance to shift the momentum is right there. But they’ll need to clean things up-and fast-if they want to keep pace with a Lions team that’s shown it can strike in a hurry.