The Dallas Cowboys fell 44–30 to the Detroit Lions on Thursday night at Ford Field, a defeat that not only dents their playoff standing but also raises concern after star receiver CeeDee Lamb exited in the third quarter with a concussion.

Lions seize early momentum

Detroit dictated the pace throughout the opening half, leaning on its rushing duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery to build a 20–9 advantage. Dallas’ offense struggled to finish drives, leaving kicker Brandon Aubrey to supply all the scoring with field goals from 57, 55, and 29 yards.

The second half began disastrously for Dallas. A Dak Prescott interception set up a quick Lions touchdown, capped by Jared Goff’s 12-yard strike, widening the margin to 27–9.

Dallas pulled within 27–16 on a 1-yard plunge by Javonte Williams, but the momentum shifted sharply when Lamb was knocked out of the game with a concussion at the 12:47 mark of the third quarter. With their top playmaker out, the Cowboys relied heavily on Jake Ferguson, R. Flournoy, and their running backs for short-yardage gains.

Detroit keeps countering

Gibbs broke loose for a 10-yard touchdown early in the fourth to extend Detroit’s cushion to 37–19. Prescott briefly revived Dallas’ hopes with a 42-yard scoring pass to Flournoy, followed by a successful two-point try to Ferguson, trimming the deficit to 37–27.

Aubrey later nailed another field goal to bring Dallas within seven, but Detroit immediately answered. A deep connection to Amon-Ra St. Brown set up a 13-yard touchdown run that pushed the Lions ahead 44–30.

Dallas’ last possession fizzled as the Lions defense clamped down. After a few short completions, pressure forced Prescott into an interception with 1:18 left, allowing Detroit to kneel out the final seconds.

Aubrey finished with 15 points, converting kicks from 57, 55, 46, and 29 yards.

Playoff implications tighten

The loss drops the Cowboys to 6–6-1, putting them behind Philadelphia in the NFC East and into the thick of a congested Wild Card race. Green Bay (8–3-1), Seattle (9–4), and Detroit (7–5) currently hold the key tiebreaking edges.

As Dallas returns home next week, urgency is mounting. The team not only needs a stabilizing win but must also monitor Lamb’s recovery and find ways to produce explosive plays if he’s unavailable.