ARLINGTON, Texas – What a memorable night for the Cowboys, both with the past, the present and maybe even the future.
Honoring Jimmy Johnson into the Ring of Honor, the Cowboys needed several things to fall their way, especially in the final seconds.
Here are the key moments that might get lost in the shuffle but led to the Cowboys' 20-19 win.
CeeDee fumble into the end zone – Ok, so plays that go against the winning team are usually not included, but in this case, it probably chases this game dramatically. The Cowboys led 7-3 in the second quarter and CeeDee Lamb was going into a would-be touchdown but was stripped off the ball on first down and the ball went into the end zone for a touchback. Instead of the Cowboys eventually grabbing a 14-3 lead, it kept the game close and the score remained into the third quarter. Had the Cowboys built a bigger lead, it could've changed the way Detroit called plays, especially since the Lions are a run-heavy team.
D-Law makes first-down tackle for loss – In the second quarter, with the Cowboys leading 7-3, the Lions were about to grab the lead with a first-and-goal at the 2. But on first down, DeMarcus Lawrence knifed through the line and stopped Jahmyr Gibbs for a three-yard loss back to the 5. That put the Lions on their heels and they had three straight plays but couldn't get in, turning the ball over on downs. That was a big miss for the Lions, considering the Cowboys had just turned the ball over on the 1-yard.
Missed chance near the goal line, before the FG – With the game tied 10-10 early in the fourth quarter, the Lions were knocking on the door for a touchdown with a third-and-3 at the Cowboys' 7. But Jared Goff went for Gibbs to the right side but couldn't connect to the running back, who had a step on Micah Parsons. But the incomplete pass, coupled with a delay of game, led to just a field goal for the Lions and a 13-10 lead.
Dak gets five out of busted play – After a great pass to Brandin Cooks down the sideline for a 21-yard gain to the Lions' 38, the Cowboys hurried to the line of scrimmage to snap the ball quickly in case Cooks didn't get his feet in bounds. But on first down, Dak looked confused with the play with a definitely miscommunication. Prescott was about to get dropped for a loss but he figured out how to scramble forward and gain five yards. That kept them from being behind the chains again and the Cowboys drove for a go-ahead touchdown on another pass to Cooks.
2-point conversion fiasco – So all of those plays at the end just created quite a dramatic ending, where it appeared the Lions had taken the lead, and then Cowboys got another chance to stop them, and then they had to do it again. The big play was the initial 2-point play when the Lions had a touchdown in the end zone but were flagged for illegal touching, since the wrong lineman reported to the official, negating the go-ahead score. The Lions moved five yards back but on the next play – an interception by Markquese Bell, Parsons was called for offside. That move the Lions up four yards for half-the-distance to the goal and on the next play, the Lions were still looking for the win. Goff's pass to tight end James Mitchell was a yard short of the sticks, falling incomplete and the Cowboys held on for the win.
