Lions vs. Cowboys: Score and Twitter Reaction from 2015 NFL Playoffs

Tony Romo has spent the entire 2014 NFL season subverting narratives. Ones that said he couldn't win big games or ascend in December fell by the wayside, crashing down as the Dallas Cowboys won the NFC East for the first time since 2009.    

On Sunday, Romo continued that trend by exorcising his postseason demons.

The Pro Bowl quarterback hit Terrance Williams for an eight-yard touchdown, and the Cowboys defense held for the final 2:32 as Dallas earned a thrilling 24-20 comeback victory over the Detroit Lions in their Wild Card Round matchup at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Down 20-7 midway through the third quarter following a Matt Prater field goal, the Cowboys scored the game's final 17 points thanks to a comeback that was equal parts impressive and confounding. Each time the Lions appeared to be regaining momentum, Dallas would score a big play—whether via its own offense or controversial officiating decisions.

Many will look at two key fourth-quarter drives that saw potential points wiped off the board for Detroit and put on the board for Dallas. Ahead 20-17 with a 3rd-and-1 in Dallas territory, the Lions appeared to luck into an Anthony Hitchens pass-interference call on tight end Brandon Pettigrew. Only, for reasons that remain unclear, the referees picked the flag up, forcing Detroit to punt.

Lions head coach Jim Caldwell offered this comment about the play after the game, per the team's Twitter account:

Kyle Meinke of MLive.com provided the pool report from head referee Pete Morelli on the decision to pick up the flag:

On the Cowboys' subsequent drive, two defensive-holding penalties kept their hope for a touchdown alive. Romo eventually took advantage, capping off the 11-play, 59-yard drive with his second touchdown of the game to Williams.

Romo finished the day with 293 yards on 19-of-31 passing. Bogged down by Detroit's swarming pass rush for much of the first half, the MVP candidate was sensational following his 76-yard score to Williams in the second quarter that put Dallas on the board for the first time.

While he went down for a sack six times—one more than he had during all of December—Romo persevered for a solid all-around game against one of the NFL's best defenses.

“I’ve said that it’s all about winning,” Romo told reporters this week. “You’re judged as quarterback and coaches on that. That’s what the game is all about. I think it’s a great thing. That’s why you have to play great when it counts.”

Williams had 92 yards on his three receptions, helping atone for a relatively quiet day for Dez Bryant (three catches, 48 yards). DeMarco Murray was also held in check for 75 rushing yards but scored a one-yard touchdown to help spark the comeback. 

The Cowboys have won five consecutive games. This is their first playoff win since 2009 and second since 1996. Having come into 2014 with many of their jobs on the line, Jason Garrett and his staff are in the midst of turning in the franchise's best season since its Super Bowl XXX championship team.

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

“He’s done a great job motivating,” Romo said, per Schuyler Dixon of The Associated Press (via fredericksburg.com). “I think he’s just a great leader and someone that everyone looks up to. He’s done a great job this year.”

On the other sideline, Sunday's collapse merely continues the struggles of perhaps the NFL's most snakebitten franchise. The Lions have not captured a playoff win since 1991 and have not pulled off a road triumph since Dwight D. Eisenhower was in the White House.

Despite questions about Matthew Stafford's big-game acumen, the Lions appeared to be running Dallas out of its own building for three quarters. Stafford appeared poised and largely under control in the pocket, avoiding throwing passes into small windows and making one relatively small mistake—a batted-ball interception that led to zero Cowboys points. 

Detroit's secondary and front seven were doing a fine job of burying a Cowboys offense that appeared unstoppable. They averaged 41.25 points across a four-game December winning streak, scoring no fewer than 38 points while having a lead of at least three touchdowns in each game. The streak gave Dallas its first division championship since 2009 and entered Romo into the MVP discussion.

While the 24 points were the Cowboys' fewest since Thanksgiving, they were enough to get the job done. The Lions scored a lone field goal in the second half, regressing into the turnover-laden, mistake-prone outfit they'd been in years past. Stafford completed 28 of 42 passes for 323 yards, but he had three second-half turnovers—two coming via fumbles on Detroit's final drive.

Golden Tate led the way for Detroit with 89 yards on six receptions, including a 51-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Calvin Johnson added five grabs for 85 yards, as Stafford appeared committed to working the field. Eight Lions had at least one reception. 

Dropping a winnable playoff game should do little to create leeway for Stafford following a strange, inconsistent season. Stafford threw for nearly 400 yards fewer than his 16-game career low and finished with just 22 touchdowns, but he combated that with a 16-game career low in interceptions (12) and completed 60 percent of his passes for the second time in his career.

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

“I was getting criticized when I was throwing for 5,000 yards, 4,000 yards and not winning games. I’m going to get criticized,” Stafford told reporters. “If you try and make everybody happy, it’s going to be a long day for you.”

Statistical criticism wouldn't be an issue if Stafford were winning big games, but he's not. Sunday's loss drops him to 0-18 against teams with a winning record on the road. He is just 3-32 against those teams overall for his career. Five of the Lions' six losses (regular season and postseason) this season came away from Ford Field, all against teams that made the playoffs.

"I don't really care too much about it, honestly," Stafford said, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. "I don't play the game by myself. Play it with 10 other guys on offense, 11 guys on defense and special teams as well. So we're all fighting tooth and nail to win games, no question."

On the surface, what Stafford is saying is true. He didn't commit the defensive penalties that kept Dallas' game-winning drive alive, and he was not responsible for the flag on Hitchens being picked up.

But his counterpart knows better than anyone how little these extenuating circumstances matter. Quarterbacks, fair or not, are judged on their win-loss record. Their record in high-profile games, especially for guys of Stafford's caliber, are always going to take on weight.

At age 34, Romo appears to have embraced that reality and finally has the backing to help him realize it. Maybe Stafford will get there someday. Just not Sunday.

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