For all of the temporary excitement about the Dallas Cowboys crawling back to the fringes of the NFC playoff race, they were just one bad game away from slinking back to irrelevancy.
The Cowboys aren't finished after their 44-30 loss to the Detroit Lions on Thursday night, but the lights are getting dimmer. The Cowboys' playoff odds took a huge hit as they now have a 9% chance to make the postseason, according toThe Athletic's playoff simulatorand 7% accordingto NFL.com— and they have themselves to blame.
Falling in a 3-5-1 hole about halfway through the season forces a team to be just about perfect the rest of the way, and the Cowboys weren't perfect Thursday night. They fell behind early, had a nice comeback to cut Detroit's lead to 30-27 in the fourth quarter, then gave up a very fast touchdown drive that put the game back out of reach. That was a microcosm of their season.
Any hope was erased when Jahmyr Gibbs scored his third touchdown of the night to give Detroit a 14-point lead with 2:19 to go.
3-spot for Jah boy!@Jahmyr_Gibbs1|#ProBowlVotepic.twitter.com/3bst2xYveE
— Detroit Lions (@Lions)December 5, 2025
The Lions haven't won or lost two straight games since the start of October. But when they needed a win Thursday to realistically keep their playoff hopes alive, after a home loss on Thanksgiving to the Packers, they brought out the version that still looks like it can make a deep playoff run.
The Lions move along with an 8-5 record, not comfortable with their playoff situation but feeling better about their chances. The Cowboys now have to win out to have any realistic chance, and even that might not be enough.
Lions put the Cowboys in an early hole
The game had huge playoff implications for both teams but the Lions were the only one to come out with a heightened sense of urgency.
The Lions were getting touchdowns while the Cowboys settled for field goals. Detroit got a 1-yard TD run from Gibbs in the first quarter, and in the second quarter David Montgomery broke free of a tackle and got into the open field for a 35-yard score. Dallas moved the ball decently but got only three field goals in the first half. The last field goal in the first half wasn't even clean. The Cowboys settled for a FG with 55 seconds left, which gave the Lions way too much time to answer. Detroit did, hitting a field goal as the half expired to extend its lead to 20-9.
Dallas made a critical mistake to start the second half. Prescott threw to George Pickens, who made a halfhearted play on the ball. It was tipped and bounced to linebacker Derrick Barnes for the interception. The Lions quickly turned that into a touchdown catch by rookie Isaac TeSlaa and a 27-9 lead.
That version of the Lions, getting big plays on offense and competing hard on defense, is impressive. That version hasn't been the one that has shown up most weeks, as was the case last season.
Cowboys crawl back in it
The Cowboys have been playing well lately, and even thoughthey lost CeeDee Lamb to a concussion, they weren't going to fade without a fight.
Thanks in part to Brandon Aubrey hitting some long-distance field goals, including a 63-yarder that looked like a layup for him, the Cowboys were still in the game when a busted coverage allowed Ryan Flournoy to get wide open for a 42-yard touchdown. The 2-point conversion made the score 30-27 with 9:52 to go.
But the Lions had a quick answer. They had a long kickoff return, a 29-yard catch by Jameson Williams and a roughing-the-passer penalty during the play, then a 10-yard touchdown run by Gibbs. In less than three minutes the Lions had pushed their lead back up to double digits. Dallas' defense, which had improved after a trade for Quinnen Williams, reverted back to its early-season form at the wrong time. The Cowboys allowed more than 400 yards and 44 points in a must-win game.
That sudden explosiveness on offense is why the Lions can still be dangerous. Injuries have piled up, but there are no obvious powerhouse teams in the league this season. The Lions are still capable of getting hot, though it would be nice to see them have their first two-game winning streak since Week 5.
Had Dallas not gotten off to a tough start to the season, a loss the Lions wouldn't have been that bad. The Lions are a capable team and tough to beat in Detroit. But Dallas put itself in a position in which losing on the road to a good team virtually crushed their playoff dreams, outside of a miracle happening.
The Detroit Lions have once again bounced back from a loss, staying very much alive in the playoff hunt by improving to 8-5. They're still behind the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears in the NFC North, but they're also right in the thick of the wild-card chase.
As for the Dallas Cowboys, they're back to .500 at 6-6-1. Dak Prescott was flooded with pressure tonight. He was sacked five times. Dallas committed seven penalties and three turnovers. They simply had too many mistakes, and the high-powered Lions offense took advantage of them.
D.J. Reed uses incredible concentration to make interception in game's final moments
Lions cornerback D.J. Reed looked this one all the way in after he and safety Daniel Thomas knocked the ball away from Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Flournoy.
Al-Quadin Muhammad records 3rd sack of the night; Lions have 5 total
After combining for four sacks over the previous four games, Detroit has brought down Dak Prescott behind the line five times tonight.
Edge Al-Quadin Muhammad is responsible for three of those sacks
Andy Backstrom
2:19 left in Q4: Lions 44, Cowboys 30; Jahmyr Gibbs ties Barry Sanders for most career TDs before turning 24 years old
A 42-yard kickoff return, followed by a 37-yard Amon-Ra St. Brown catch and run, put the wheels in motion for the Lions.
Then, after Detroit left guard Trystan Colon pulled to block Cowboys cornerback Shavon Revel Jr., running back Jahmyr Gibbs waltzed into the end zone for a 13-yard score.
Gibbs has now tied Barry Sanders for the most career touchdowns (47) before turning 24 years old.
Jahmyr Gibbs ties Barry Sanders for the most TDs before turning 24!
3:42 left in Q4: Lions 37, Cowboys 30; Brandon Aubrey makes chip-shot FG after controversial OPI call on TE Jake Ferguson
The Cowboys had to settle for a 29-yard field goal after a controversial offensive pass interference penalty was called on tight end Jake Ferguson.
Brandon Aubrey now has four field goals. This one was a chip shot, but earlier tonight he became the first player in NFL history to make three kicks of 55-plus yards in a single game, per the Amazon Prime broadcast.
WR Ryan Flournoy is coming through in the clutch for the Cowboys
Ryan Flournoy, a second-year wideout out of Southeast Missouri State, has made two huge receptions on this Cowboys drive.
The first one went for 20 yards after Dak Prescott was sacked for a loss of nine the play prior. Later on, in Lions territory, Prescott located Flournoy for 10 yards on third-and-8.
Andy Backstrom
7:17 left in Q4: Lions 37, Cowboys 27; Jahmyr Gibbs finds pay dirt for 10-yard rushing TD
Jahmyr Gibbs found his way back to the end zone, this time from 10 yards out. Most of the speedy running back's damage tonight has been inflicted in the passing game, but he got the job done on the ground in a pivotal red-zone situation.
Gibbs now has 46 career touchdowns before turning 24. The only player in NFL history to score more before that age is legendary Lions back Barry Sanders, who had 47 total TDs before he was 24.
Sonic BOOM puts the @Lions back up by two scores 💪
Lions catapult into RZ, thanks to WR Jameson Williams and Cowboys roughing the passer penalty
Gripping to a three-point lead, the Lions needed an answer on third-and-6 midway through the final frame. Jared Goff had one.
He stood in the pocket and rifled a pass to Jameson Williams while taking a hit from Cowboys defensive end James Houston that resulted in a roughing the passer penalty.
Williams turned his catch into a 29-yard gain, which was supplemented by Dallas' infraction.
Flournoy blew by Detroit cornerback Amik Robertson, who appeared to be relying on safety help from Brian Branch. The two of them weren't on the same page.
Flournoy made the catch and enjoyed a 42-yard score.
Then Prescott danced in the pocket before hurling a pass to tight end Jake Ferguson for a two-point conversion. It's a three-point game.
Dak and Ferguson connect on the 2-point try. Dallas trails by three 👀
11:50 left in Q4: Lions 30, Cowboys 19; Detroit responds with 46-yard FG
Just like that, it's back to a two-score game. Jake Bates bounced back from his blocked field goal in the third quarter with a 46-yarder a bit more than three minutes into the fourth.
Fueled by the hard running and pass catching of running back David Montgomery, the Lions were chugging along. But a holding penalty disrupted their rhythm.
Andy Backstrom
2:54 left in Q3: Lions 27, Cowboys 19; Brandon Aubrey sinks 63-yard FG
Brandon Aubrey is a special teamer, but he's really an offensive weapon. He just made it a one-score game with a 63-yard bomb of a field goal.
He converted, even after George Pickens' offensive pass interference penalty.
Brandon Aubrey extended his own NFL record with his 6th career 60+ yard field goal. https://t.co/l1rRTZTGri
Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb ruled out with a concussion
CeeDee Lamb's night is over. He's been ruled out with a concussion. He suffered the injury while taking a hard fall after elevating for a potential catch in the end zone.
He recorded six receptions for 121 yards in two quarters and change tonight.
Andy Backstrom
10:41 left in Q3: Lions 27, Cowboys 16; Javonte Williams scores after George Pickens 4th-down conversion and fumble
While George Pickens kept the Cowboys' drive alive with a catch on fourth-and-5, he lost the ball while fighting for extra yards and being swarmed by the Detroit defense.
Fortunately for Dallas, it recovered the fumble.
Soon after, running back Javonte Williams punched the rock in for a much-needed Cowboys touchdown. He also went over 1,000 rushing yards on the season.
14:18 left in Q3: Lions 27, Cowboys 9; Jared Goff finds WR Isaac TeSlaa for 12-yard TD
Detroit now has 14 points off Dallas turnovers. Jared Goff located wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa in the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown not long after his defense picked off Dak Prescott.
