It was a playoff-level game between the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions. Neither team would be eliminated from contention with a loss, but the path would become nearly impossible to overcome for the loser.
That being the case, both teams were expected to come out with a sense of urgency. Unfortunately, that was only true for the home team.
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Dallas, who has had slow starts throughout the season, seemed out of sorts from the start. Their defense made a few stops early to keep them in the game, but the offense let one opportunity after another slip away. They fought back, but in the end, the Lions won 44-30, and we have three takeaways from the crushing defeat.
Matt Eberflus is back under fire
Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus on the sideline during the first quarter. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
The Cowboys’ defense had turned things around over the past three weeks, holding their own against two Super Bowl teams in the process. On Thursday, we were reminded how many holes they have.
Their secondary struggled to slow down the passing attack, and we have to ask again if Matt Eberflus is the right man for the defensive coordinator job. The main reason for this question is the fit in the secondary.
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Dallas has invested in man-cover corners such as DaRon Bland, Trevon Diggs, and rookie Shavon Revel Jr. They’ve all had issues in zone coverage, especially Revel who was beaten for a touchdown early in the second half while being caught out of position in his zone.
Revamping the entire secondary isn’t ideal, so they’re going to have to truly evaluate the fit at coordinator this offseason.
Criticism for Dak Prescott will hit an all-time high
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott scrambles during the first half against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
Dak Prescott has put together another remarkable season, but he has been criticized for failing to come up big in the playoffs. While this wasn’t a playoff game, the criticism will hit him just as hard as if it were.
Dallas reeled off three wins in a row, but they needed this one to stay in the playoff race. That put a lot of pressure on Prescott, who fell short.
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It’s not fair to put it all on Prescott, who had a remarkable game overall. That said, the offense was unable to capitalize on early opportunities, leading to this loss. Fair or not, Prescott is going to be the one who gets the heat from the media for that.
The best time to pay Brandon Aubrey was yesterday
Dallas Cowboys place kicker Brandon Aubrey kicks a field goal during the first half against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
This game would have been a blowout if not for Brandon Aubrey. The star kicker was 5-of-5, with three kicks beyond 50. His longest came in the third quarter, when he nailed one from 63 yards out.
Brandon Aubrey from 63 yards. No problem.
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Dallas has extended several players this season, but they haven’t locked up Aubrey. They should have already done so, as he proved once again that he’s the best kicker in the game today. Waiting will only increase his price, as Cowboys fans know all too well.
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