Detroit Lions Grades Against Dallas Cowboys: Defensive Line Shines

The Detroit Lions built an early lead, then held on to defeat the Dallas Cowboys in a matchup between two playoff hopefuls Thursday night at Ford Field.

With the victory, the Lions continue to avoid having lost back-to-back games since the 2022 season, and improve to 8-5 on the season. The team helped themselves tremendously by recording three takeaways in a 44-30 win.

Here are grades for each position group based on performance in Thursday's game.

Quarterback: B

Jared Goff took a beating early in the game, as the Cowboys brought some heat including a sack from former Lion James Houston. However, once he settled into a groove, he was able to pick apart Dallas' defense.

Goff finished with 309 yards through the air, spreading the ball amongst seven different pass-catchers. Even with Dallas getting pressure against a banged-up Lions' offensive line, he was able to accurately distribute the ball across his array of playmakers.

The veteran had one of his best throws of the night go for a touchdown, as he layered the ball perfectly over Shavon Revel Jr. to rookie Isaac TeSlaa for a third quarter score.

Running backs: B+

It wasn't the most explosive night for the Lions on the ground, but Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery made history in tandem Thursday night. Gibbs finished with 43 rushing yards and three touchdows on 12 carries, and was more productie as a receiver with 77 yards on seven catches.

For the first time since Week 5, both Gibbs and Montgomery scored in the same game. This set a new NFL record for most games in which two running back teammates have both scored with 15. Gibbs scored first, with Montgomery adding a 35-yard dash later in the first half.

Wide receivers: A

Amon-Ra St. Brown continues to be one of the most impressively tough wide receivers in the entire league. After not practicing all week, the fifth-year wideout caught six passes for 92 yards in Thursday's game.

St. Brown set an NFL record for most receptions in the first five seasons of a career with his performance Thursday, as he broke Michael Thomas' record by reaching 511 receptions.

In addition to this, the Lions also got a strong performance from Jameson Williams. The Alabama product led the team in receiving with seven catches for 96 yards. Rookie Isaac TeSlaa added 20 yards and a touchdown on two catches.

Tight ends: B

With both Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright on injured reserve now, the Lions relied on the trio of Ross Dwelley, Anthony Firkser and Hayden Rucci to help get them through Thursday's game. Dwelley and Firkser each had one catch, while Rucci did not have a grab.

While Goff has not seemed to utilize his tight ends as much with the top two options sidelined, each of his targets have been reliable when called upon. As they become more ingrained in the offense, the Lions could look in this direction more and more.

Offensive line: B-

The Lions' offensive line took some lumps early in the game, as Goff was pressured heavily early. Notably, left guard Trystan Colon allowed four pressures in seven dropbacks to start the game. Detroit turned to Miles Frazier for a spark, and the rookie had an up-and-down night in spot duty.

Colon would re-enter the game and helped pave the way for Montgomery on his long touchdown run. Frazier finished with two penalties in his first taste of NFL action, while the remainder of the Lions' offensive line had a spotty night.

The Lions couldn't quite find a groove in the run game aside from some big plays, but were able to create a psuedo run game by utilizing Gibbs as a receiver. This lightened the load some for a group that is beat up, and the long layoff before the Rams game next Sunday will be a welcome reset for the group.

Defensive line: B

After one sack over the previous two weeks, the Lions' pass-rush got a massive spark from veteran Al-Quadin Muhammad. He sacked Dak Prescott three times Thursday night, giving a jolt to a position group that had been dormant in recent weeks.

Defensive tackle Alim McNeill also got home for a sack Thursday night, marking his first sack since returning from the ACL injury suffered last season.

Detroit's front-seven was much more impactful than in recent weeks, with five total sacks against Prescott. The group also limited Javonte Williams to 3.9 yards per carry, a solid feat as they held the Cowboys under 100 rushing yards as a team.

Linebackers: A-

Jack Campbell had another phenomenal showing, leading the way defensively with 12 combined tackles, six solos, a punch out for a forced fumble and a sack. The sack initially resulted in a safety, but was eventually overturned by review in what was a controversial moment in the game.

Alex Anzalone had seven combined tackles, while Derrick Barnes had an interception that helped sway momentum fully toward the Lions. On the first play of the second half, Barnes snared a deflected pass that popped into the air and set up a touchdown with his takeaway.

Secondary: B-

Dallas' wide receiving corps caused some issues for the Lions' secondary, specifically D.J. Reed. CeeDee Lamb once again had a big night against Detroit, finishing with 121 yards on six catches before leaving the game in concussion protocol.

Ryan Flournoy also had a big night for the Cowboys, as he also went over 100 receiving yards. Amik Robertson and Reed both struggled, but still found ways to be impactful in coverage in key moments. Notably, Reed sealed the game with an interception.

Detroit will also have injury concerns exiting this game, particularly at the safety position. Both Brian Branch and Thomas Harper exited the game and did not return with injuries.

Special teams: B

Jake Bates hit three field goals, including two from beyond 40 yards, but did have one attempt blocked at the line of scrimmage in the third quarter.

The biggest story on special teams was the performance of Tom Kennedy, who had a huge night returning kicks. Kennedy had a 21-yard return on his only punte attempt of the night, and added 120 return yards on three kick returns for an average of 40 yards per return.

Kennedy's last return of the game was the most important, as he took the kickoff nearly to midfield immediately after Dallas had cut Detroit's lead to one score.

Coaching: A-

Dan Campbell put together a nice game plan, and was able to pull the right strings to help the Lions outlast the Cowboys in an exciting shootout. While the run game struggled to get going, there was clearly a better flow for the offense as a whole.

Defensively, the Lions had a more profound and impactful pass-rush as Muhammad sparked the group. There were still lapses in the secondary, as the Cowboys' strong receiving corps still had its moments.

The Lions now will get a much needed bit of rest with an extended break, as they return to action Dec. 14 against the Rams. While the schedule still has four tough matchups on it, Thursday's game was a reminder of what the Lions can be at their best. With this win, Campbell's team gave itself a better chance of realizing their lofty goals and reaching the postseason.