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7 takeaways from the controversial Lions loss
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

7 takeaways from the controversial Lions loss

Originally posted on A to Z Sports  |  By Mike Payton  |  Last updated Dec 31, 2023 12:11 AM ET

The Detroit Lions put up one hell of a fight and showed some stuff on a defense that's about to get three great players back. Unfortunately the offense struggled mightily and it cost the Lions the game. Unfortunately a horrible call killed what could have been an amazing 21-20 win and the Lions lost 20-19. You hate to see it. 

As always, I have thoughts in this game. These are those thought's:

Goff Report

Not  Goff's best outing. The first interception was a freak occurrence one. I won't blame him too much for that. The second one though, that was just a bad throw that, if it was thrown low to the outside of LaPorta, might have had a shot to be complete. Goff threw it low to the inside and Wilson was there to dive for it. 

Goff finished the game with a very good drive down the field in which he was great on every throw. Including the throw to Decker that got called back. Goff finished the day going 19/34 for 278 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. 

Defense

This was one of the best defensive outings of the season. It would have been even better if Derrick Barnes didn't have a big gaffe in the first quarter. That gaffe led to a 92-yard CeeDee Lamb touchdown. Otherwise the Lions managed to keep the pressure on Dak Prescott and force a team that scores big at home to a low point total. 

The Lions managed to force two turnovers and got home on some sacks too. If the Lions can bring this type of defense along with C.J. Gardner-Johnson, James Houston and Alim McNeill into the playoffs, they can make things happen once they get there. Just need the offense to be itself. 

Get ready to be apologized to 

ESPN cameras very clearly approaching the officials to report as eligible. Decker says he reported as eligible. Both Dan Skipper and Penei Sewell, who were right there, said Decker reported as eligible and they did not. The next move is that the league will apologize to the Lions and nothing will be done about it and everyone will move on.  

Derrick Cena

WWE wrestler and actor John Cena has this thing called the five moves of doom. I won't go too far into it, but one of them is this shoulder tackle.

I think Derrick Barnes was trying to do this in the first quarter when he had Dak Prescott dead to rights on a sack that could have even been a safety. Barnes instead did this. 

You saw what happened because of that miss. A 92-yard touchdown. If Barnes simple sticks his arms out there, he has a chance to prevent this from happening. But he doesn't. You just can't do that. 

JRM QB1

Forget extending Jared Goff, forget Hendon Hooker. Your QB1 is a linebacker that's a special teams ace for your team. Look at this throw.

You always get the feeling that the Lions could go for a fake punt at any moment, but it feels new every time. This was so well done. It just would have been nice if the Lions would have score points on this drive. 

Hutchinson

Hutchinson looked good out there. He had two sacks and a couple tackles for loss. You've been waiting for him to get home for a while and he did that. The biggest sack of them all came on third down in the fourth quarter. A sack that pushed the Cowboys out of field goal range. 

Jamo

Jameson Williams had this huge 63 yard catch. Unfortunately he got hurt on this catch. Still, it was a huge catch and moment that Lions fans have been waiting for. Goff and Williams hooking up on a big pass.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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