Dallas Cowboys Down Detroit Lions With Second-Half Surge

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Dec 26, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Anquan Boldin (80) runs as Dallas Cowboys strong safety J.J. Wilcox (27) defends during the first half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /

Injury Report

Boldin leaves in first half, Killebrew, Charles injured late

Aside from missing center Travis Swanson, cornerback Darius Slay and running back Theo Riddick, all of whom were inactive, the Lions also lost two receivers in the first half. Anquan Boldin suffered a finger injury in the first half and although he was called questionable he did not return. Andre Roberts also left briefly in the first half with a shoulder injury but returned quickly.

Safety Miles Killebrew suffered an eye injury in the fourth quarter and did not return. Defensive tackle Stefan Charles also left the game late with a knee injury and was ruled out.

Prescott, Cowboys thrash hampered Detroit secondary

Dak Prescott torched Detroit’s secondary on Monday, completing 15 of 20 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns. Dez Bryant even got in on the act, completing his only pass attempt for a ten-yard touchdown on a trick play.

Detroit only had four healthy corners in their underwhelming secondary on Monday: number-two cornerback Nevin Lawson, recent signee Asa Jackson, special teamer Johnson Bademosi and practice squad call-up Alex Carter. The Lions were without their top corner, Darius Slay, who missed with a hamstring injury, and their starting nickelback, Quandre Diggs, who is out for the season with a pectoral injury.

Lions offense roars in first half, purrs in second

The Detroit offense got off to a fast start on Monday, scoring touchdowns on each of its first three possessions and racking up 186 yards of offense. Zach Zenner surprised by putting on an impressive performance in the first half. In total, he hung 67 yards and two touchdowns on the league’s leading rush defense on 12 carries, and with Matthew Stafford’s one-yard sneak, the Lions ran for three first-half touchdowns, a team high this season.

After those first three drives, however, the Lions’ offense came to a near-complete standstill, gaining only 133 yards on their last eight possessions, turning the ball over twice and failing to score a single point. Zenner saw limited action in the second half as rookie Dwayne Washington took saw most of the Lions’ carries, picking up 22 yards on seven attempts. Stafford completed 26 of 46 attempts for 260 yards, threw an interception, fumbled once and for the second week in a row did not throw a touchdown pass.

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