The Cowboys’ 44–30 defeat in Detroit on Thursday highlighted a glaring difference between the two teams: the dominance of the Lions’ defensive front. According to Pro Football Focus, Dak Prescott dropped back 60 times and was pressured on more than a third of those plays—22 total, including three sacks, four quarterback hits, and 15 hurries. Dallas also hurt itself with three penalties in pass protection.

Detroit, on the other hand, kept Jared Goff almost entirely untouched. Despite Dallas having revamped its defensive line in recent weeks, the unit couldn’t replicate its prior success, generating only 12 pressures with no sacks. That imbalance in the trenches proved decisive.

It’s the kind of night no franchise wants for a quarterback they’re paying $60 million and who just turned 32. The Lions set the tone physically, and Prescott absorbed the brunt of it.

Prescott After the Game: “I’ll Be Sore, But I’m OK”

Prescott didn’t call out his offensive line, but he also didn’t pretend he walked away unscathed.

“I’ll be sore. I’m fine, though,” he said after the loss. “Yeah, I took some shots—bumps and bruises—but I’ll be good.”

Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer echoed him, noting how unusual it was to see Prescott hit that often.

“He’s definitely sore, and rightfully so,” Schottenheimer said. “We’ve been one of the better teams at protecting the quarterback, so credit to Detroit. But we need to evaluate what went wrong up front, because you can’t expect to win when your quarterback gets hit that frequently.”

Protecting Prescott Must Be Dallas’ Priority

At 6–6–1, Dallas’ playoff hopes are fading. Even so, keeping Prescott healthy for the last four games is just as important. That effort begins with the expected return of left tackle Tyler Guyton in Week 15.

Guyton’s absence was felt immediately. His stand-in, Nate Thomas, struggled badly—giving up eight pressures (including a sack) and committing a penalty. On the opposite side, Terrence Steele allowed six pressures and also gave up a sack. Their issues were a major reason the Cowboys’ offense sputtered.

A Fired-Up Cowboys Team Expected Next Week

Prescott tried to use the loss as motivation rather than frustration. The Cowboys’ momentum from their three-game post–trade deadline streak evaporated, and their postseason outlook dimmed with it. Still, Prescott believes the team will respond with urgency.

“You’re gonna see a team that’s pissed off,” Prescott said. “Since the bye week, we’ve been different—this is the first time this version of our team has really been punched in the mouth. We’ll use it as fuel. Starting with me, we’re going to have a strong week of preparation.”