The scoreboard in Detroit showed a two-score loss, but the real damage for the Dallas Cowboys happened long before the final whistle.
From the earliest drives on Thursday night, it was clear that Dallas’ offensive line could not withstand Detroit’s relentless pressure.
By the end of a 44-30 defeat, the Cowboys had watched their quarterback spend more time dodging defenders than running the offense.
Dak Prescott went back to pass 60 times, and Detroit disrupted him on a remarkable share of those plays. The pressure came from every angle: three sacks, several thudding hits and double-digit hurries that forced rushed decisions and stalled drives. Penalties along the line only compounded the problems.
The other side of the matchup was almost unrecognizable by comparison. Jared Goff barely felt a hand on him. A
Dallas front that had looked rejuvenated over the past three weeks generated only light pressure. Any hope the Cowboys had of dictating the line of scrimmage evaporated early.
Afterward, Prescott tried to downplay the toll of the night, but he didn’t hide the physical cost.
“I’ll be sore. But I am fine,” he said. “Like you said, took some hits, bumps and bruises but I will be completely fine.”
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer was more pointed about the breakdown.
“He’s sore,” Schottenheimer said. “He should be sore after getting hit that much and that’s-again, we talked a lot about it, we have been one of the best teams in the league at protecting him, and so kudos to them. They did a great job. We’ve got to look at how we protected up front, and certainly there were issues because you can’t have your quarterback taking those kinds of hits and be successful.”
Dallas now must rebuild its protection before the stretch run turns bleak
At 6-6-1, the Cowboys are still within reach of a postseason spot, but the bigger concern is whether Prescott can finish the year upright. The team expects tackle Tyler Guyton to be available in Week 15, and solving its protection issues may rely heavily on his return.
His absence was glaring. Nate Thomas, pressed into action on the blindside, endured a rough evening. He allowed eight pressures, one of which resulted in a sack, and drew a penalty that halted momentum. On the opposite end, Terrence Steele struggled as well, responsible for six pressures and another sack.
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