Lions at Cowboys
▶ Kickoff: 1 p.m. Sunday, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
▶ TV/radio: CBS/97.1
▶ Records: Lions 1-4, Cowboys 4-2
▶ Line: Cowboys by 7
Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News breaks down the Lions’ Week 7 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.
Key matchup
LIONS OFFENSIVE LINE VS. COWBOYS FRONT SEVEN
This is the strength-on-strength matchup that will likely define the game. The Lions’ offensive line has been great so far this year; though they have one less game played than most teams because of an early Bye, they are currently tied for the least amount of sacks (seven) allowed this season and have led Detroit’s ground game to the highest yards per carry (7.2) in the league. On the flip side, the Cowboys have compiled the most sacks in the league (24) through six games and are tied for second in touchdowns allowed (eight). Though he’s been well-protected this season, the instances where Detroit’s line has broken down have resulted in pick-6s, interceptions, fumble recoveries for touchdown — the Lions’ line will need to play perfect to offset the Cowboys’ dominant front seven.
Cowboys to watch
▶ LB Micah Parsons: Parsons already has three multi-sack games this season, and while the Cowboys as a team have done an excellent job of getting to the quarterback this season, Parsons’ versatility makes him nearly impossible to gameplan against. He is the Lions’ bogeyman this weekend in Dallas.
▶ RB Tony Pollard: Pollard is Pro Football Focus’ third-ranked running back in 2022, but you’d never know it by his workload. You’ve been able to make a case for him being the No. 1 guy in Dallas for some time, but even with Ezekiel Elliott getting a majority of the carries, big-play potential — which has hurt the Lions’ defense all year — will make Pollard the guy to circle in Dallas’ backfield. He broke free for a 57-yard touchdown run two games ago against the Rams and a 47-yard run against the Giants, which blows away Elliott’s longest run of 27 yards
▶ CB Trevon Diggs: Thanks to his borderline insane aggressiveness turning pass coverage into a boom-or-bust proposition, Diggs has become one of the most electric players in the NFL dating back to last season. His 11 interceptions in 2021 led the NFL and he already has two this year. The Lions may still find success in the pass game on Sunday — they have all year, besides the shutout loss to New England — but a Jared Goff turnover has already been the difference in a handful of games this year, and in facing the Cowboys’ defense, specifically, it’s of the utmost importance to quell the production of players like Diggs.
Facts and figures
▶ The Lions have accumulated 249,661 passing yards as a franchise, meaning they’re just 339 yards away from smashing the quarter-million mark. According to data provided by the team, 180 players have attempted passes in Detroit’s franchise history and 16,986 of those yards were thrown for by players who are not quarterbacks.
▶ The Cowboys lead the league in red-zone percentage (100%), but only 50% of those red-zone appearances have ended in touchdowns, which ranks 20th. Keeping that trend and limiting Dallas to field goals will be crucial for the Lions defense this weekend as they look to keep things close.
▶ The Lions historically haven’t fared well in Dallas, where they’ve earned just two wins since 1994 (2-6 over that span), including one of the most soul-crushing losses in recent Lions history in the 2014 Divisional round.