Blogging The Boys
The Dallas Cowboys put their recent home wins against last year’s conference champions to the test on the road this Thursday, at last year’s top-seed in the NFC, the Detroit Lions. The Cowboys are just 2-4 on the road this season, with wins against a pair of last place AFC teams, the Jets and Raiders. They draw a Lions team that is 4-2 at home, with both losses being to division rivals, the Vikings and Packers. That loss to the Packers came on Thanksgiving for the Lions, creating a sweep by Green Bay to fall behind them in the division at 7-5 compared to 8-3-1 for the Packers. The loss also extended a streak of nine weeks where the Lions have alternated wins and losses in their last eight games. The Cowboys can relate to this, sharing a similar pattern through the first seven weeks of this season without consecutive wins or losses, and that tie versus the Packers.
The time for both of these teams to solidify who they are is here as the calendar turns to December, as both suit up for their second straight Thursday game and fourth in four years against each other. To do so, both teams are looking to lean into the identity of their head coaches even further. The Lions have been in the playoffs the past two seasons under Dan Campbell, who has more on his plate than ever this season after losing both coordinators to head coach jobs in the offseason. This equation got even more complicated for Campbell when he recently took over calling the plays on offense himself as well.
Detroit has battled through injuries, these scheme changes, and their last three losses all being by one score to maintain the expectation they’re a tough, physical team to play against with a veteran quarterback and a star at running back. Going from losing in the conference championship in 2023, to the divisional round in 2024, then missing the playoffs entirely this season is not what former Cowboys tight end Dan Campbell has in mind for the progression of his team now in year five as head coach. Playing their second-to-last home game of the season against the Cowboys would be the time to prove the Lions’ ambitions are about the playoffs once again, with difficult road games at the Bears, Rams, and Vikings team that already beat them ahead.
On the other side for the Cowboys, they are learning in real time the heights they can reach in just year one under Brian Schottenheimer. Undefeated since the tragic passing of teammate Marshawn Kneeland, the Cowboys have put their heart, culture, and level of preparation and faith in their star players on full display in consecutive wins against the Raiders, Eagles, and Chiefs. Their offense is no longer feeling the pressure of having to score on nearly every drive to win thanks to a reeling defense.
The defense is not only doing a better job supporting an offense that continues...
