Motor City Mauling: Lions Run Over Cowboys 38-17
DETROIT — The “Same Old Lions” are gone. In their place is a machine built to break opponents.
On Sunday afternoon, the Detroit Lions didn’t just beat the Dallas Cowboys; they bullied them. Feeding off a deafening crowd at Ford Field—measured at a record-breaking 136 decibels—Detroit scored on their first four possessions and cruised to a 38-17 victory that was never as close as the final score suggested.
Ground and Pound
Dan Campbell said he wanted to bite kneecaps. His running backs preferred to break ankles.
The duo of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs proved too much for a soft Dallas interior. Montgomery bludgeoned the defensive line for tough yards, softening them up for Gibbs, who exploded for touchdowns of 45, 12, and 8 yards.
“We knew if we got them on their heels, they wouldn’t recover,” Goff said. “The O-line moved mountains today.”
Prescott Under Siege
While Detroit’s offense hummed, their defense hunted.
Aidan Hutchinson lived in the Dallas backfield. The All-Pro edge rusher abused the Cowboys’ tackles, tallying three sacks and a forced fumble that set up a short field in the second quarter. Dak Prescott looked rattled early, forcing throws into tight windows and checking down when the pressure arrived.
By the time CeeDee Lamb found the end zone in the fourth quarter, the celebration had already begun in the stands.
By The Numbers
- Jared Goff: 24/28, 260 Yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs (Surgical efficiency)
- Jahmyr Gibbs: 18 Touches, 145 Yards, 3 TDs
- Dak Prescott: 25/44, 280 Yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs
- Rushing Yards: Lions (195), Cowboys (60)
The Divisional Round: A Physical Test
The Lions (No. 2 seed) remain at home, where they have been nearly unbeatable.
They now prepare to host the Philadelphia Eagles (No. 5 seed) next Sunday. It’s a matchup of arguably the two most physical rosters in the NFC. If today was a statement, next week is a war.
