NFL Saturday: Lions vs. Cowboys score, highlights, news, inactives and live updates
The Dallas Cowboys return to the friendly confines of home on Saturday to face the fellow playoff-bound Detroit Lions.
The locale is good news for the Cowboys, who are 7-0 this season at AT&T Stadium. Their struggles on the road against quality opponents continued last week in a loss to the Miami Dolphins. That dropped them to 3-5 on the road including an 0-3 road record against teams that have clinched or are projected to clinch a playoff berth.
That's bad news for a Cowboys team that needs a lot to break its way to pass the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East and avoid road games in the first round of the playoffs and beyond. Beating the Lions is step No. 1 in keeping their slim hopes of hosting a playoff game alive.
The 11-4 Lions have clinched the NFC North and a home playoff game. The No. 1 seed and its first-round bye is still in play for Detroit, which will have plenty to play for in a battle of two of the NFC's best.
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for all the latest from Saturday's game.
LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER102 updates
Final score: Cowboys 20, Lions 19
QB Dak Prescott: 26 of 38, 345 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
WR CeeDee Lamb: 13 catches, 227 yards, 1 TD
Lions QB Jared Goff: 19 of 34, 271 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) December 31, 2023
Cowboys are 8-0 at home this season with a +172 point differential. Only teams with better point differential at home in Super Bowl era:
1999 Rams +197
1998 Vikings +189
2011 Saints +186
1991 Washington +183
1997 Broncos +176— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) December 31, 2023
CeeDee Lamb (who else?) comes down with the onside kick. The Cowboys are going to win a wild one and stay undefeated at home.
COWBOYS HOLD ON IN THE FINAL SECONDS 😱 pic.twitter.com/WcNfTHw4w1
— ESPN (@espn) December 31, 2023
INCOMPLETE.
The Cowboys stop the 2-point attempt, for real this time, as James Mitchell can't reel in the pass from Goff. Here comes an onside kick attempt.
Cowboys get an interception on the Lions' next 2-point attempt, but Micah Parsons is flagged for offsides. A third 2-point attempt is coming up.
Lions now going for it from the 7-yard line
THE REFS CALL IT BACK.
Decker apparently didn't report and is called for illegal touching.
THE LIONS GET IT.
They go play action and Jared Goff hits his LEFT TACKLE Taylor Decker to take the lead with 23 seconds left.
McCarthy takes a timeout on the 2-point attempt. Mood is, well, tense at AT&T Stadium.
TOUCHDOWN LIONS.
Goff hits Amon-Ra St. Brown. Detroit now going for 2 and the win!
AMON-RA! The @Lions are within 1 with :27 to go 👀
📺: #DETvsDAL on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/urKeZaIvCL pic.twitter.com/s8WHAhqk8J— NFL (@NFL) December 31, 2023
Sam LaPorta gets the first down. He's up to 84 yards and the Lions are up to the Dallas 11. Goff spikes it with 27 seconds remaining.
Refs miss some questionable contact between Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jourdan Lewis. Now 3rd and 10 after an incomplete pass.
Goff 🎯 LaPorta
📺: #DETvsDAL on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/urKeZaIvCL pic.twitter.com/IzneV9G03W— NFL (@NFL) December 31, 2023
This wasn't the best time management showcase for Mike McCarthy.
Dallas had the ball for a total of 19 seconds after the interception. Throwing the ball three straight times leaves Detroit with 1:41 of clock.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) December 31, 2023
Lions open with two straight passes to Sam LaPorta for 35 yards total. Goff spikes the ball at the Dallas 40 with 1:03 left.
The Cowboys run out the play clock instead and call timeout. Aubrey hits a 43-yarder to go up seven points with 1:41 remaining.
Dak Prescott completes a pass to Jake Ferguson to set up 4th and 6 at Detroit's 25-yard line. Rather than kick a 43-yard field goal, the Cowboys seem to be going for it.
WILSON! A pick for the @dallascowboys with just over 2 min to go
📺: #DETvsDAL on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/urKeZaIvCL pic.twitter.com/sNsGL4eEx0— NFL (@NFL) December 31, 2023
INTERCEPTION
Donovan Wilson picks off Jared Goff and the Cowboys will get the ball back up four points with a little over two minutes left. What a play.
Dez Bryant happy for CeeDee Lamb.
Congratulations!! 88
Mr record breaker!!!!— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) December 31, 2023
Fourth down.
Aidan Hutchinson gets his third sack of the game to force a punt and give his team one more chance to win it.
Clutch Hutch!!
📺: #DETvsDAL on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/urKeZaIvCL pic.twitter.com/uPJHT4h4Wu— NFL (@NFL) December 31, 2023
CeeDee Lamb gets ANOTHER catch on 3rd and 10 for the first down. He's up to 12 catches and 216 yards. Congrats to all who started him this week (including the Cowboys). The fifth 200-yard game in the NFL this season.
Have a night, @_ceedeethree 🔥
📺: #DETvsDAL on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/urKeZaIvCL pic.twitter.com/HzRD8guUsw— NFL (@NFL) December 31, 2023
Lions respond with a very badly timed three-and-out. DeMarcus Lawrence brought the pressure to Jared Goff, who threw incomplete. Cowboys ball with 5:52 remaining.
Brandin Cooks now has seven touchdown catches in 2023, his most in a season since seven scores in 2017 while with New England.
— Dallas Cowboys Public Relations (@DallasCowboysPR) December 31, 2023
Cowboys cooking 👨🍳 @dak | @brandincooks
📺: #DETvsDAL on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/urKeZaIvCL pic.twitter.com/ntdTy8f7Yf— NFL (@NFL) December 31, 2023
TOUCHDOWN COWBOYS
Prescott hits Brandin Cooks for an eight-yard touchdown. Considering the Cowboys' only other TD was basically a 92-yard play, that was the team's best drive of the game.
Tony Pollard throws down his one of his best runs of the night, breaking multiple tackles up the middle for 10 yards. Cowboys in the red zone.
Wow, what a catch by Brandin Cooks, who hauls in the over-the-shoulder throw from Prescott for a big first down. Cowboys in Lions territory now.
CeeDee Lamb has 11 catches for 194 yards tonight.
The rest of the Cowboys have 94 total yards.— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) December 31, 2023
CeeDee Lamb gets the Cowboys record, and he ain't done tonight.
With 189 receiving yards tonight, @_CeeDeeThree now has 1,613 receiving yards in 2023, surpassing Michael Irvin (1,603 in 1995) for the most receiving yards in single-season franchise history.
— Dallas Cowboys Public Relations (@DallasCowboysPR) December 31, 2023
Jameson Williams headed to locker room. #DETvsDAL
— Tim Twentyman (@ttwentyman) December 31, 2023
It's a decoy to draw the Cowboys offsides. Lions take the delay of game penalty and hit a 30-yard field goal to take a 13-10 lead.
Jared Goff pass goes incomplete on 3rd and 3. Dan Campbell is leaving his offense in. Here we go.
Jameson Williams showing off his speed 💨
📺: #DETvsDAL on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/urKeZaIvCL pic.twitter.com/Ep1yLRgain— NFL (@NFL) December 31, 2023
HOLY 😳
📺: #DETvsDAL on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/urKeZaIvCL pic.twitter.com/OY8yBo25A8— NFL (@NFL) December 31, 2023
Jared Goff goes deep to big-play threat Jameson Williams for 63 yards to reach the red zone. Williams is fast among fast.
Cowboys LG Tyler Smith (foot) is questionable to return. Undrafted rookie T.J. Bass working in his place.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) December 31, 2023
Jahmyr Gibbs breaks off a 34-yard run to open the Lions' drive, but it's coming back on a holding penalty.
Cowboys have 5 rushing yards on 8 1st and 10 carries today. #establishit
— Arjun Menon (@arjunmenon100) December 31, 2023
Cowboys drive stalls out from there. Rookie Brandon Aubrey hits a 51-yard field goal to tie the game. He's 34-for-34 on field goals to start his NFL career.
Dak Prescott takes a hit but gets the ball to CeeDee Lamb for a big first down on 3rd-and-11. Lamb is up to nine catches and 178 yards on 11 targets. He's one yard short of the Cowboys' single season receiving record.
.@ceedeethree + @dak are firing on all cylinders tonight
📺: #DETvsDAL on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/urKeZaIvCL pic.twitter.com/xKvbGn6coi— NFL (@NFL) December 31, 2023
T.J. Bass is in at left guard as Tyler Smith heads to the medical tent. https://t.co/GlX6zA3Vsv
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) December 31, 2023
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The Dallas Cowboys averaged 39.9 points and 437.3 yards in their first seven home games.
They have 7 points and 230 yards tonight -- and all the points and 92 of the yards came on one pass to CeeDee Lamb where Dak Prescott should've been sacked for a safety and the CB fell.— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) December 31, 2023
TD David Montgomery! @Lions take the lead in Dallas
📺: #DETvsDAL on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/urKeZaIvCL pic.twitter.com/MiRiXEQp6q— NFL (@NFL) December 31, 2023
TOUCHDOWN LIONS.
David Montgomery punches it in from three yards out to take the lead.
.@Lions move the chains on 4th and 2!
📺: #DETvsDAL on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/urKeZaIvCL pic.twitter.com/BCg9JYptAM— NFL (@NFL) December 31, 2023
They get it with a quick pass to Sam LaPorta.
Lions got a 21-yard gain on a David Montgomery run, but not much further. Now going for it on 4th-and-2.