The Cowboys had a chance to reach the end zone on their final drive of the first half, but the league’s third-most penalized team couldn’t get out of its own way.
The Cowboys settled for a 55-yard Brandon Aubrey field goal with 50 seconds remaining in the half, but the Lions matched it with a 47-yarder from Jake Bates on the final play of the half. That has the Lions holding a 20-9 halftime lead.
On the Cowboys’ nine-play, 43-yard field-goal drive to close out the half, Dak Prescott threw a long pass to George Pickens, who drew a pass interference penalty on D.J. Reed at the 2. The penalty, though, was offset by an illegal use of hands penalty on tight end Jake Ferguson.
Later in the drive, Prescott completed a 9-yard pass to Pickens, who was called for a 15-yard facemask penalty on Rock Ya-Sin and negate the reception.
Aubrey accounted for all the Lions’ points, hitting on field goals of 57 and 42 yards in addition to the 55-yarder.
The Lions outgained the Cowboys 205 to 158.
Prescott was 16-of-21 for 154 yards, with CeeDee Lamb catching five for 89 yards. Pickens has two catches for 15 yards.
The Lions have three sacks of Prescott, and Jack Campbell, who has one of the sacks, also forced a fumble of Ferguson that Brian Branch recovered for Detroit. Officials ruled Campbell’s sack of the Cowboys quarterback a safety before replay overturned it.
Lions quarterback Jared Goff is 13-of-21 for 153 yards. Jahmyr Gibbs has three carries for 18 yards and a touchdown and five catches for 63 yards. David Montgomery had a 35-yard touchdown run.
Bates kicked a 38-yard field goal on the Lions’ first drive after Detroit reached the Dallas 8.
