Week Fourteen: Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1) @ Detroit Lions (7-5)

[Hongbit]

1 hour ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

I am not drinking the koolaid any longer this season. My optimism for this season is pretty much gone at this point and this team simply doesn't pass the eye test. There are a number of factors that have me down.

 

You shouldn’t drink Kool-Aid anyway.  That stuff’s for kids.  

Liquor is for adults.   The adults drinking liquor think the Lions are going to win this game tonight!

Wait, hold on a second…

 

[Sports_Freak]

On 11/30/2025 at 7:44 PM, sagnam said:

I’m not convinced they’ll be the favorite for Dallas. Dallas has a lethal passing offense and a strong interior DL. Will Goff have time and be able to find passing lanes? Can we cover the big 2 receivers long enough to slow them down? This game on paper could be a bad time.

Lions 3 point favorites. Home field, I guess. I don't gamble but if I did, I would bet on Dallas and hope Detroit wins by 2...lol

[Adullin]

Lions cant control the line of scrimmage 35-13 Dallas.

[Hongbit]

This is a big game.  Dallas is not a big game team.  They’ve lost many more of them than they’ve won since the 90’s.    They are also a different team on the road.  They’ve beaten nobody of substance on the road this year.  The Lions haven’t lost back to back games in more than 3 years.   
 

Lions 24

Cowboys 16

[Mr.TaterSalad]

2 hours ago, MichiganCardinal said:

The last three years, every time you have counted this team out -- really counted them out -- they come back punching. I don't think spirits have been this low in the fanbase since probably when they were 1-6 in 2022 and everyone was ready to restart the coaching search.

I don't think they're quite the complete package -- offense, defense, special teams, and coaching -- sufficient for them to say "just kidding" about what we have seen for the last month and go on a tear, finish 5-0, win the North, and go on a postseason run. I think they have the capacity to do that and the talent to do that, but I think for whatever reason (mostly the trenches) things just aren't clicking right now. They need to take it a game at a time.

That said, I do think we see an inspired performance tonight. This is where Campbell has thrived. Primetime, under the lights, after a week of hearing a lot of very loud doubters. If the Cowboys aren't prepared to take an early punch, it could get ugly. But, I do think they will be prepared to take that punch, will have some motivation of their own after losing by 38 in Jerry World last year, and will make it an exciting game.

Detroit 31
Dallas 27

I appreciate your optimism and approach here, but the glass is half empty for me. Yes, this team has come back time and again under Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes when we've counted them out and left them for dead. That includes most recently against a bad Giants team.

But there are big, key differences between this year's team and the 22, 23, and 24 teams. Most notably, they lost their identity that those teams had because their offensive line is pedestrian to begin with and is now banged up with injuries. The great and elite teams that not only make the playoffs, but often go far into them, have some kind of describable identity. The Chiefs had it with Mahomes and their high powered offense. The Bucs and Patriots had it with Brady and their smart, balanced offense. The Bengals had it when they Burrow, Chase, and Higgins first burst on the scene with an explosive offense. Hell, we had it last year with a bunch of bullies on the offensive line and our ability to run the ball down your throat and dictate the pace of play in game.

This year, we have no identity, nothing that separates us from anyone else in our division, conference, or league overall. We're not bad because we still have enough talent on the field thanks to Brad Holmes and the front office. As well, we still have a good enough coach, that these guys love and believe in, to keep our heads above .500 football. But we dominate in exactly zero facets of the game right now. Sure, Gibbs alone looks dominate at times, as he did against The Giants. But even Gibbs has only had 3 games above 100 yards rushing overall and he hasn't been that explosive in pass catching either.

This teams lack of an identity and not being truly elite at something hurts them. Being injured once again hurts them even more. You combine those with all the other factors like a regressing offensive line, a less explosive offense, lack of QB pressure, time to throw, etc. and I just don't see where the optimism comes from to not start counting this team out. I sure as hell hope you are right with a half full glass and I am wrong with my half empty glass. I sure hope they win tonight and get into the playoffs.

Edited Thursday at 05:29 PM by Mr.TaterSalad

[MichiganCardinal]

28 minutes ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

I appreciate your optimism and approach here, but the glass is half empty for me. Yes, this team has come back time and again under Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes when we've counted them out and left them for dead. That includes most recently against a bad Giants team.

But there are big, key differences between this year's team and the 22, 23, and 24 teams. Most notably, they lost their identity that those teams had because their offensive line is pedestrian to begin with and is now banged up with injuries. The great and elite teams that not only make the playoffs, but often go far into them, have some kind of describable identity. The Chiefs had it with Mahomes and their high powered offense. The Bucs and Patriots had it with Brady and their smart, balanced offense. The Bengals had it when they Burrow, Chase, and Higgins first burst on the scene with an explosive offense. Hell, we had it last year with a bunch of bullies on the offensive line and our ability to run the ball down your throat and dictate the pace of play in game.

This year, we have no identity, nothing that separates us from anyone else in our division, conference, or league overall. We're not bad because we still have enough talent on the field thanks to Brad Holmes and the front office. As well, we still have a good enough coach, that these guys love and believe in, to keep our heads above .500 football. But we dominate in exactly zero facets of the game right now. Sure, Gibbs alone looks dominate at times, as he did against The Giants. But even Gibbs has only had 3 games above 100 yards rushing overall and he hasn't been that explosive in pass catching either.

This teams lack of an identity and not being truly elite at something hurts them. Being injured once again hurts them even more. You combine those with all the other factors like a regressing offensive line, a less explosive offense, lack of QB pressure, time to throw, etc. and I just don't see where the optimism comes from to not start counting this team out. I sure as hell hope you are right with a half full glass and I am wrong with my half empty glass. I sure hope they win tonight and get into the playoffs.

I'm not going to disagree about the differences between this year's team and the '23 and '24 teams. Short of both lines figuring some stuff out rather quickly, this team is not going to win a Super Bowl, which is not something I thought about either the '23 or the '24 teams until the moment they were officially eliminated from the playoffs.

Now, I don't think it's completely out of the question that they do figure some stuff out rather quickly and maybe make a run, particularly after they get Mahogany back. It's not as if we've never seen this offensive line perform at a high level, they did it this year against Chicago, Baltimore, and Cleveland, and all three of them have good to great defensive fronts. Likewise with the defensive line against good offensive lines in Baltimore and Tampa. We've seen this team play at a championship-caliber level at all levels, though not since at least Washington. Ultimately, I don't think they're completely incapable of returning to it. But, none of that was really my point.

I'm only making a point about this game being played tonight. Despite the line troubles, I don't think this team is about to roll over and die. Despite what I've seen of this team against Philly, New York, and Green Bay, I just don't think it's in their DNA. And while I think the Dallas offense is rather explosive, I think their defense isn't very good and that they aren't particularly well coached. They have given up the second most points per game to opponents this year behind only Cincinnati, and we saw what our offense did to Cincy, even with Gio Manu making his debut as a starter.

[Motown Bombers]

Me thinks he was trying to get back to the Eagles and I wonder if there was tampering. 

 

[Mr.TaterSalad]

21 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

I'm only making a point about this game being played tonight. Despite the line troubles, I don't think this team is about to roll over and die. Despite what I've seen of this team against Philly, New York, and Green Bay, I just don't think it's in their DNA. And while I think the Dallas offense is rather explosive, I think their defense isn't very good and that they aren't particularly well coached. They have given up the second most points per game to opponents this year behind only Cincinnati, and we saw what our offense did to Cincy, even with Gio Manu making his debut as a starter.

I read these stats on a Cowboys blog so I trust they are legit. Since Week 9 and acquiring Quinnen Williams the Cowboys defensive line ranks # 1 in the NFL. Dallas run defense is #1 in the league and their pass rush is #3.

We know how Jared Goff fares at times under duress and pressure as well. Goff has a grade of 38.9 when under pressure and that ranks fourth worst in the league. Dak Prescott’s offensive grade under pressure is 75.4 and that ranks second best in the league. Their defense and defensive front specifically is different and improved since Williams was acquired.

[MichiganCardinal]

A good stat proving what I am trying to say, the Lions under Campbell are 14-5 against the spread after a loss under Campbell. Even better, they are 7-1 against the spread following a loss where they were the favorite. The one loss was back in Week #5 of 2022 when they got shut out by the Patriots after that stupid 48-45 loss to the Seahawks.

It's just incredibly unlike them to not come out punching after a loss, especially a loss where Vegas pegged them as the better team.

 

[Motown Bombers]

It’s time like these I liked the old Lions where you just went same old Lions and that was it. The Lions played a brutal schedule and still have a winning record. 

[Sports_Freak]

26 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

It’s time like these I liked the old Lions where you just went same old Lions and that was it. The Lions played a brutal schedule and still have a winning record. 

Many fans saw the schedule and predicted a hard road to the playoffs. But our division losses are the problem. PackersX2 and the Vikings. Win 2 of them and we're 9-3 and in 1st place.

[number20]

4 hours ago, Hongbit said:

You shouldn’t drink Kool-Aid anyway.  That stuff’s for kids.  

Liquor is for adults.   The adults drinking liquor think the Lions are going to win this game tonight!

Wait, hold on a second…

 

Trivia: The whole ‘drink the Kool-Aid’ neologism stems from the Jim Jones thing of course… but they actually didn’t drink Kool-Aid laced with cyanide. It was Flavor Aid. At some point it got misnamed as Kool-Aid, and stuck ever since. So I always correctly say “drink the Flavor Aid”. Just to be smug

[MichiganCardinal]

Brock Wright to IR. Whiteside back on the roster.

Awosika is downgraded to out. Likely looking at Decker-Colon-Glasgow-Ratledge-Sewell tonight.

Malik Cunningham was elevated from the practice squad. Will be curious to see if they activate him and if he's used in a trick play package tonight or if it's a red herring / emergency replacement for ASB.

[Motown Bombers]

 

[Sports_Freak]

Clowney isnt playing.

[KnoxP]

Home whites?

[MichiganCardinal]

16 minutes ago, KnoxP said:

Home whites?

They announced a Ford Field white out about a month ago. We will see how well the fanbase can read.

[Sports_Freak]

I watched Philly playing at home last week when they lost to the Bears. The home fans were booing the Eagles. The defending Champions. Detroit fans have more class than that, I hope. 😅😅

[MichiganCardinal]

Nice hands from Dwelley!

[TP_Fan]

All that for 3 points.  Awful.  Just awful.  

[MichiganCardinal]

If Sewell is going to whiff it’s going to be a long night. Bet that doesn’t happen again.

[TP_Fan]

You’ll never win with a QB who just can’t move. He is beyond a statue. I can’t stand watching a QB with the worst mobility in the league. 

[holygoat]

Did not have Sewell getting cooked on my bingo card.

[sagnam]

10 hours ago, MichiganCardinal said:

The last three years, every time you have counted this team out -- really counted them out -- they come back punching. I don't think spirits have been this low in the fanbase since probably when they were 1-6 in 2022 and everyone was ready to restart the coaching search.

I don't think they're quite the complete package -- offense, defense, special teams, and coaching -- sufficient for them to say "just kidding" about what we have seen for the last month and go on a tear, finish 5-0, win the North, and go on a postseason run. I think they have the capacity to do that and the talent to do that, but I think for whatever reason (mostly the trenches) things just aren't clicking right now. They need to take it a game at a time.

That said, I do think we see an inspired performance tonight. This is where Campbell has thrived. Primetime, under the lights, after a week of hearing a lot of very loud doubters. If the Cowboys aren't prepared to take an early punch, it could get ugly. But, I do think they will be prepared to take that punch, will have some motivation of their own after losing by 38 in Jerry World last year, and will make it an exciting game.

Detroit 31
Dallas 27

I hear you, but when did they give us a chance last year to write them off? We just need to win 15 every year.

[TP_Fan]

Pickens wide open and Harper injured immediately.  Awful.