Week 14 begins with a major “Thursday Night Football” matchup with significant NFC playoff implications, as the Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1) travel to Ford Field to face the Detroit Lions (7-5) in primetime. Both teams are just outside the postseason picture, ranked eighth and ninth in the conference, respectively, each needing a win to stay in the hunt.
The Cowboys were considered disappointments just a month ago, but after three straight wins, Dallas’ season has gained new energy. Jerry Jones’ team is coming off impressive back-to-back victories over last year’s Super Bowl contenders. They narrowly beat the Chiefs and Eagles in recent weeks, and now they aim for four straight wins against the Lions on TNF.
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Overall, Dallas has won three in a row, and Dak Prescott has been exceptional, completing over 69% of his passes for 942 yards, 8 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.
After beginning 4-1, Detroit has traded wins and losses nearly every week over the past couple of months and is now fighting to return to the playoff hunt. Last week’s loss to Green Bay was a setback, hurting the Lions in both the division and conference standings, and two failed fourth-down attempts for the traditionally aggressive Dan Campbell-led offense had a big impact on the outcome.
Luckily, they’ll have wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown available for Thursday, officially active for the matchup after suffering an ankle injury on Thanksgiving. It’s a big break for the Lions, who are without star tight end Sam LaPorta, who is considered unlikely to play again this year due to a back injury.
Cowboys-Lions start time: 8:15 p.m. ET
Location: Ford Field | Detroit
TV channel, live stream: Amazon Prime Video, NFL+
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for live updates, highlights and more as the Cowboys and Lions kick off the Week 14 slate:
Live25 updates
Andy Backstrom
Detroit’s two-minute drill, eventually aided by a defensive pass interference penalty committed by Dallas rookie cornerback Shavon Revel Jr., ended in a 47-yard Jake Bates field goal.
The Lions are up 20-9 heading into the break.
Andy Backstrom
Dallas has moved the ball well tonight, but sacks, penalties and a turnover have gotten in the way of potential touchdown drives.
Wideout George Pickens was flagged for a face mask penalty on second-and-10 from the Detroit 43-yard line.
With 25 yards to the line to gain, the Cowboys faced an uphill battle. They almost summited that mountain, though, thanks to 10- and 11-yard completions to CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson, respectively.
Brian Schottenheimer opted for Brandon Aubrey’s reliable leg on fourth-and-4 instead of rolling the dice.
Aubrey came through from 55 yards out.
Andy Backstrom
Following the Lions’ takeaway, they backed themselves into a first-and-25 because of successive holding and false start penalties.
But Detroit dug itself out of that hole.
A 25-yard hookup between Jared Goff and Jameson Williams was a big part of that fix.
Moments later, running back David Montgomery knifed through the trenches and broke a tackle before surging for a 35-yard score.
Andy Backstrom
Earlier in the first half, Lions linebacker Jack Campbell nearly recorded a safety with a sack.
Now, he’s got a forced fumble, courtesy of a peanut punch that popped the ball free from Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson.
Here’s a closer look at that peanut punch:
Andy Backstrom
Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb are on the same page tonight. Prescott dropped this 38-yard pass right in the basket for his four-time Pro Bowl wideout.
Andy Backstrom
The Lions fans are growing increasingly disgruntled with the officiating crew at Ford Field.
This time, they groaned after a flag wasn’t thrown on third-and-2, before which Jared Goff and the Lions thought the Cowboys jumped offsides.
Dallas wasn’t penalized, though, and Goff’s pass fell incomplete, leading to a punt.
Andy Backstrom
After Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone snuffed out a Cowboys screen pass, edge Al-Quadin Muhammad sacked Dak Prescott for a loss of nine yards.
That sack pushed Dallas back to the Detroit 24-yard line. Brandon Aubrey’s ensuing 42-yard field goal squeaked just by the right upright, cutting the Cowboys’ deficit to 10-6.
Andy Backstrom
Detroit has battled injuries in the back end all season. Tonight is no exception.
Andy Backstrom
The Cowboys’ passing attack is potent, in part because of Dak Prescott’s throwing and also in part because of the playmaking ability of his star-studded receivers.
CeeDee Lamb is one of them, and he evaded a tackle on this third-and-6 to keep the drive alive with a 16-yard pickup.
Andy Backstrom
Following a jet sweep that saw Jameson Williams flirt with the end zone, running back Jahmyr Gibbs drove his way in to make it 10-3.
Andy Backstrom
Amon-Ra St. Brown sure looks like himself. Despite the ankle injury, he’s got two quick receptions for 33 yards. His latest accounted for 27 of those yards.
Jared Goff fired a pass over the middle to St. Brown, who then turned upfield and threw a stiff-arm while working the Lions into the red zone again.
Andy Backstrom
Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard brought the heat on third-and-5, with the Cowboys backed up near their own end zone.
Six Detroit defenders rushed, and linebacker Jack Campbell got home, taking Prescott down in the paint.
It was initially ruled as a safety, which would have given the Lions a 5-3 advantage.
But, upon review, the call was overturned, as the official said that when Prescott was first contacted, the entire football was out of the end zone.
Lions fans weren’t happy.
Andy Backstrom
It doesn’t take long to get in Brandon Aubrey range. He’s got a powerful right boot, and it was on full display as he drilled a 57-yard field goal midway through the opening frame to tie things up at 3-3.
Aubrey followed up his field goal with a highlight-reel tackle on the ensuing kickoff, by the way.
Andy Backstrom
Dallas jumpstarted its first drive with a pair of completions. The first one featured the latest connection between quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver George Pickens. It went for 11 yards.
The next one came on second-and-15, as Prescott fired a 19-yard strike to tight end Jake Ferguson.
Andy Backstrom
The Lions were on the move — that is, until they reached the red zone.
Their next three plays?
pass for 4 yards
run for loss of 2 yards
sack for loss of 10 yards
Jake Bates knocked a 38-yard field goal attempt through the uprights to give Detroit a 3-0 lead early.
Andy Backstrom
There aren’t many people questioning why the Detroit Lions drafted running back Jahmyr Gibbs No. 12 overall in 2023. There haven’t been for a while now.
Gibbs is that good. He once again showed why on the Lions’ game-opening drive Thursday.
First he scurried for a 19-yard pickup on a swing pass. Then he caught a pass from quarterback Jared Goff over the middle and gobbled up yards after the catch, polishing off a 26-yard gain that catapulted Detroit into the red zone.
Andy Backstrom
After not practicing all week with an ankle injury he suffered during a Thanksgiving loss to the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown got the green light to play Thursday night versus the Dallas Cowboys.
And on the first play from scrimmage, St. Brown reeled in a pass for a 7-yard gain.
Kate Magdziuk
Get your TVs set! The Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions kick off live from Ford Field at 8:15 p.m. ET, airing live on Prime Video and NFL+!
Scott Pianowski
Fireworks are expected at Ford Field, with a 54.5 total set for the Lions and Cowboys. Here are three fantasy angles to keep in mind as you watch the game.
Will Dak Prescott keep cooking for the Cowboys? Dallas had a run-heavy tint in the red zone during the first half of the year, but Prescott has been steering the ship since the bye. Prescott charted as the QB3, QB3 and QB6 the last three weeks, with Dallas winning each game. The Lions just lost key CB Terrion Arnold, so the secondary can be had.
Is this another smash spot for Jameson Williams? Williams has been mostly boom but occasionally bust in recent games — he has four touchdowns in six starts, but went catchless in the other two games. Williams had his busiest day of the year on Thanksgiving (7-144-1), immediately prioritized after Amon-Ra St. Brown was injured. St. Brown will likely miss tonight’s game.
How much is left for Jake Ferguson? The Dallas passing game is routed through CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, and that’s held Ferguson back in recent weeks (he’s the TE23 since Week 8). Fantasy managers probably view Ferguson as a touchdown-or-bust option, even in a matchup where points are expected.
Check out more of Scott’s work at the Yahoo Sports fantasy hub.
Kate Magdziuk