DALLAS, Texas – The Detroit Lions led the Dallas Cowboys for more than 50 minutes and held a 14-point lead for most of the first half Sunday, but fell apart late in the game to lose 24-20.
With the loss, the Lions still have just one playoff win in the Super Bowl era. The team held the No. 6 seed in the NFC after winning 11 games in the regular season
Recommended Videos
The Lions jumped out to a fast start, as the defense forced a three-and-out and Matthew Stafford hit Golden Tate for a 51-yard touchdown pass on the first offensive drive. After another quick hold by the defense, Reggie Bush put the Lions up 14-0 with a 21-yard dash aided by an excellent block from Tate.
Dallas finally got on the board with less than two minutes left in the first half, as Terrence Williams dashed 76 yards for a touchdown from Tony Romo.
Detroit answered just before the half, as a long drive ended with a 39-yard field goal from Matt Prater, who squeezed it just inside the left upright to build the Lions' lead to 17-7.
The second half started with a bang as a Stafford pass tipped at the line of scrimmage was picked off by Dallas near the 20-yard line. But the Lions stepped up once again on defense and the accurate Dan Bailey missed a 41-yard kick to keep the Detroit lead at 10.
Another Prater field goal, this time from 37, stretched the Lions' lead to 20-7. But the Cowboys drove 80 yards on the following drive after a DeAndre Levy missed tackle on third down allowed Dez Bryant to run inside the 10.
DeMarco Murray punched in a one-yard score on 4th and goal to make it 20-14 late in the third quarter.
Detroit went three-and-out on the following drive and Dallas drove into Lions' territory to start the fourth quarter. It looked like Romo and the Cowboys were primed to take their first lead of the game, but two straight sacks from Ndamukong Suh forced a 51-yard field goal attempt from Bailey and the Lions stayed ahead by three with 12:16 left in the game.
Late in the fourth quarter, two costly penalties on Detroit aided a Dallas touchdown after a pass interference call on the Cowboys' defense was picked up. Williams hauled in the eight-yard pass and gave Dallas its first lead at 24-20 with just 2:32 left in the game.
Detroit drove into Dallas territory on a final attempt to take the lead back, but failed to convert on a fourth down and two and the Cowboys held on to win.
Dallas will face the No. 2 Packers in Green Bay next weekend.