DETROIT — The Detroit Lions rotated pieces on their offensive line and suffered another significant defensive injury in their win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Brian Branch is out for the season due to a torn Achilles. The third-year safety suffered the injury late in the fourth quarter of the 44-30 win, and needed help via the medical cart to get to the back. So, heading into the final four games at safety, Branch is out for the season. Thomas Harper is in concussion protocol, and Kerby Joseph just missed his seventh game with a persistent knee injury.

It was a big win for the team’s playoff hopes, and there was a lot to like on Thursday night. But Branch’s injury is yet another blow to the secondary. Here are three things we learned from the Week 14 win:

Miles Frazier deserves a chance to start, and the Lions should embrace those jumbo looks

Miles Frazier got his first taste of the NFL against the Cowboys. The Lions started Trystan Colon at left guard, then went back-and-forth, rotating Frazier into the game. Frazier has been out since the spring program due to a knee injury. The Lions hoped he had a little Christian Mahogany fast-acclimation powers to him, and after a small sample size, there is hope.

Colon played 36 snaps. Frazier handled 26. MLive asked Dan Campbell what led to the rotation, and the Lions coach said he wanted to get Frazier a taste and didn’t initially expect to play him as much. For the record, credit to the coach for trusting the rookie in a must-win game, with some of his first assignments coming against Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams.

Colon surrendered four pressures and three quarterback hits across 25 pass-blocking reps. Frazier allowed three pressures and one quarterback hit, with two false starts sinking his grade from Pro Football Focus (23.2). PFF grades aren’t everything, and a fifth-round rookie who just missed more than six months jumping early isn’t the most surprising news.

“This is about when we threw Mahogany in there last year,” Campbell said. “So, we just wanted to get a look at him … It was just to get him introduced to the NFL and try to be smart. You still want to move the football but yet try to set him up to where he can have some success and we stayed away from some plays here. But really, he earned the right to keep going.

“He did good enough to where, ‘All right, let’s get him another series.’ Because really, we didn’t have intentions of giving him as much as we did.”

At least until Mahogany is ready to return, they should see what Frazier has after making his debut. Kayode Awosika missed this game with a foot injury, and could be on standby with Colon if it doesn’t work out.

When concerning the jumbo looks, Dan Skipper played 23 snaps, serving as the frequently-used extra blocker. Skipper ran in motion and lined up out wide to help fill the offensive void at tight end.

The Lions used jumbo looks on 36.8% of their offensive snaps, their highest since 2021, and the fourth-highest rate by anyone this season. Next Gen Stats reports they gained 139 yards with all that beef on the field, including all three of Jahmyr Gibbs’ touchdowns. With Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright on injured reserve, this should continue, as well.

Tom Kennedy has earned his role and 53-man roster spot for the rest of the season

Give all the credit in the world to Tom Kennedy for always being ready when he gets an opportunity. His offensive snaps dropped from 41 to five this week. But don’t get it twisted, because he might have made an even bigger impact through his work returning kicks.

When Amon-Ra St. Brown suffered an ankle injury on Thanksgiving, Kennedy stepped into a primary role, catching all four targets for 36 yards. He also had a kickoff return of more than 30 yards, a punt return of 20-plus yards and a 20-yard catch against the Packers. The only other players in team history to do that were Mel Gray (1991) and Ray Williams (1980).

Then, Kennedy might have raised the bar even higher to carve out a role through the end of the season against the Cowboys. He returned one punt for 21 yards and took three kickoffs for 120 yards, with a long of 42 yards. Kennedy’s returns set the Lions up with field position at the 47, (Dallas’) 42, 41 and 41. Kennedy became the first NFL player since 2007 to have three 35-yard kickoff returns and a 20-yard punt return in the same game since Josh Cribbs.

Kalif Raymond is dealing with an ankle injury. Sione Vaki has had the injury bug all season, clearing the path for Kennedy to keep his role on special teams.

Kennedy has been with the Lions in some capacity dating back to 2019. He was a former Lacrosse pro and Bryant University standout, and this isn’t the first time he’s come up big.

Detroit has some issues to figure out and serious holes to fill in its secondary

It was one of those games where the Lions kept taking punches, then would come up with the takeaway or hold them to a field goal. Dak Prescott had 376 yards with one score and two interceptions. Detroit’s defense also forced and recovered a fumble, turning two of those three takeaways into two touchdowns, forcing the Cowboys to kick five field goals.

Amik Robertson forced the fumble and tipped the ball that led to Derrick Barnes’ second-half opening pick. AD.J. Reed sealed the game with his fourth-quarter interception. He had some issues before Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb exited due to concussion protocol, though. Next Gen Stats reports Reed allowed five catches for 105 yards on 13 matchups with Lamb. That represents the most yards he’s permitted to any receiver in a game throughout his eight-year career.

Across the last three games, the Lions have allowed 1,009 passing yards and seven touchdowns. And there are bigger problems to patch, with Terrion Arnold out for the season, Kerby Joseph missing seven straight games, and now Brian Branch out for the rest of the season after suffering a torn Achilles.

Branch is one of the most impactful players on the roster. He was already working through toe/ankle injuries and was questionable for Thursday night’s game. The third-year safety lasted until the fourth quarter, suffering the injury on a play in the end zone with about 3:30 left. Branch went up to make a play against Cowboys’ Jake Ferguson, with his right foot landing hard and getting trapped under the tight end. He struggled to put any weight on it and eventually needed to take a ride on the cart off the field.

The 2023 second-round pick faces a lengthy injury recovery ahead. Next season is also the final year of Branch’s rookie contract, so it’s bad timing for all.

Joseph is pushing to return. But the All-Pro’s status remains uncertain moving forward after missing so much time and still dealing with the issue. He was back at practice for one day last week, sporting a hefty knee brace. Thomas Harper, who has been starting in place of Joseph, was ruled out in the first quarter due to concussion protocol. Avonte Maddox replaced Harper and Daniel Thomas replaced Branch.