Detroit Lions vs. Dallas Cowboys: Full Report Card Grades for Dallas
It wasn't pretty, but the Dallas Cowboys showed the resiliency of true champions as they beat the Detroit Lions 24-20 to advance to the divisional round of the playoffs.
The Lions defense did a great job of pressuring Tony Romo, and it showed, as it threw off Romo's mechanics for a majority of the game.
When the Cowboys needed yards they relied on two of their most reliable players in Jason Witten and Cole Beasley to get crucial first downs.
The Cowboys defense played the best game of the year against the Lions. It started slow but really came on after the first quarter was over.
The Cowboys special teams were great throughout as well, except for the one missed field goal.
The Cowboys look forward to their next playoff opponent, the Green Bay Packers, in a game where the Dallas offense needs to play much better.
Let’s take a look at how each position graded out in this Wild Card Game matchup.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Tony Romo didn't have a good day by his standards, but when the Cowboys needed a score, he came up clutch.
Romo went 19-of-31 for 293 yards and two touchdowns, as he had trouble with his mechanics throughout the game.
The Lions generated a great deal of pressure, and it affected Romo's play. He wasn't able to step into his throws, and it caused him to not put enough zip on some of his throws.
Another problem Romo had was holding on to the ball too long. On a few plays, he had plenty of time to get rid of the ball, but he tried to make something happen and got sacked.
However, Romo didn't make any crucial mistakes, and that allowed the Cowboys to stay in the game and ultimately win it in the end.
Grade: B
Running Back
2 of 10
The Cowboys faced the best run defense in the NFL, and while they didn't gain a ton of yards, they made crucial runs at crucial times.
The biggest run came on 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard line, where the Cowboys ran an outside zone and Murray cut upfield and exploded into the end zone.
Murray finished the day with 19 carries for 79 yards and a touchdown. It was tough sledding in the first half, but things started to open up in the second half.
The Cowboys are going to need to run the ball well next week if they hope to beat the potent Green Bay Packers.
Grade: B
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
The first half was not very good for the Cowboys passing attack. Outside of a long touchdown catch-and-run from Terrance Williams, the receivers did a poor job of winning their one-on-one matchups.
However, things changed in the second half as Cole Beasley, Jason Witten, Dez Bryant and Williams stepped up to the plate and made big plays.
Dez Bryant was quiet for the most of the day, but he made some critical plays as he finished with three catches for 48 yards.
Cole Beasley continues to be one of the most reliable players on the roster, recording four catches for 63 yards.
Terrance Williams has been disappointing down the stretch, but he bounced back in a big way with three catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns.
Jason Witten has been one of the best all-around tight ends this year, despite what the analytics might tell you. He had another great game as he made huge catches to keep drives alive. He finished with five catches for 63 yards.
Grade: B+
Offensive Line
4 of 10
The offensive line had a lot of trouble as it struggled as much or more than in any other game this season.
Its players were confused by the variety of blitzes they faced and had some miscues because of it. Altogether, they allowed six sacks and blocked for 75 yards on the ground.
Travis Frederick appeared to struggle making the right protections for the offensive line, as it often allowed free rushers to get after Tony Romo.
Late in the game, the offensive line started to get push on the Lions. And it showed as Romo had more time, and DeMarco Murray was able to get loose. The Cowboys are going to need the offensive line to play closer to that if they want to beat the Packers.
Grade: C+
Defensive Line
5 of 10
When the Cowboys needed to seal the game late, it was the defensive line that made the play. Anthony Spencer had a strip-sack that was recovered and then fumbled by DeMarcus Lawrence. However, Lawrence redeemed himself as he made the game-sealing play with a strip-sack of Matthew Stafford.
Tyrone Crawford was the star of the group, as he consistently made great plays despite throwing up on the sideline throughout the game. Crawford has been excellent for the Cowboys throughout the season, and he is one of the most underrated players in the NFL.
The Cowboys brought back Spencer and drafted Lawrence in the second round for precisely what happened against the Lions. They put pressure on the quarterback and made the plays when it mattered most.
The Cowboys face the best quarterback in the NFL in Aaron Rodgers next week, and they will need to get pressure on him if they hope to limit his effectiveness.
Grade: A
Linebacker
6 of 10
The Cowboys were dealt a rough hand when Rolando McClain went out of the game early because of dehydration and an illness. However, just like every other game, they found a way to make it work as the linebackers did their job and were instrumental in stopping the Lions offense.
Bruce Carter had a fantastic game as he made plays in the run and passing game. He got good depth in his zone and broke on the ball throughout the game.
Anthony Hitchens was a warrior as he played through a sprained ankle and still made plays. It was easy to tell he was partly hampered because of the ankle, but he was still fundamentally sound.
Grade: A-
Secondary
7 of 10
The secondary had as bad of a start to the game as you can have. Golden Tate went for a long touchdown, and the Cowboys appeared to be destined for another poor game. However, the secondary tightened up a lot in the second half and did enough to stop the Lions from putting up significant points.
Calvin Johnson abused Brandon Carr last year, but he did an incredible job given the circumstances this time around. He had issues with his tackling, but coverage-wise he did a good job.
Barry Church played a poor game by his standards as he did a bad job of making tackles and in coverage. Church had been a solid safety for the Cowboys, but he struggled against the Lions.
Orlando Scandrick quietly continues to play at a high level, as he wasn't beaten for any significant yards.
The Cowboys need their secondary to have its best game of the year next Sunday as it faces the variety of weapons on the Packers.
Grade: B
Special Teams
8 of 10
Outside of one Dan Bailey miss, the Cowboys special teams were very good against the Lions.
Chris Jones had one of his best games as a punter as he consistently pinned the Lions deep in their own territory.
Detroit only had 10 total yards between its kick and punt return teams, which is unheard of. It speaks to the level that the coverage units played to on Sunday.
Dan Bailey had been automatic this season, but he had a rare miss on a 41-yard field goal in the third quarter. Nevertheless, he bounced back well and drilled a 51-yard field goal later in the game.
Grade: B
Coaching
9 of 10
The Cowboys struggled to start the game and were unprepared for the variety of blitzes the Lions sent, and that is on the coaches. However, the Cowboys responded in the second half and never stopped fighting, and that is also on the coaches.
Head coach Jason Garrett made the gutsy call to go for it on 4th-and-6 in the fourth quarter, and it paid off as Tony Romo found Jason Witten for the first down. Garrett is often labeled as a conservative coach, but he took a great risk there.
Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli called a masterful game as he took the Lions out of their game plan in the second half.
Overall, the Cowboys coaching staff has been one of the best in the league, and that is a major advantage moving forward.
Grade: A-
Final Grade
10 of 10
| Positional Unit | Overall Grade |
| QB | B |
| RB | B |
| WR | B+ |
| OL | C+ |
| DL | A |
| LB | A- |
| Secondary | B |
| Special Teams | B+ |
| Coaching | A- |
| Cumulative Grade | B+ |
It wasn't the cleanest game, but the Cowboys pulled it out on the back of a great performance by the defense. The offensive line had its struggles, but other units were able to step up and carry the load. The Cowboys played a good team game and came out with the hard-fought win.
Dallas will need a better performance next week as it faces one of the best teams in the NFL, the Green Bay Packers.
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