ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jared Goff’s completion streak ended on his first throw.
By then, the Detroit Lions had already started throwing shade about the hotly disputed 2-point conversion from their loss at the Dallas Cowboys nine months earlier.
Goff went on to throw for 315 yards and three touchdowns, David Montgomery ran for two scores and Detroit blew out Dallas 47-9 on Sunday, handing the Cowboys a fourth consecutive lopsided loss at home.
Still, it wasn’t much of a celebration for the Lions (4-1), who lost pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson in the third quarter to a serious left tibia injury that was to require surgery before he could go home.
The injury happened when Hutchinson was sacking Dak Prescott and his leg appeared to snap above the ankle when it collided with the leg of teammate Alim McNeill.
“He’s a guy who’s part of the heartbeat of this team, he’s a leader, does everything right,” Goff said. “And to have him go down like that, and be visibly upset is tough for all of us. But knowing him, he will be fine. He will bounce back.”
Prescott threw two interceptions in the worst home loss since 1988 for the Cowboys (3-3), who became the first team since at least 2000 to trail by 14 or more more points at halftime in four consecutive games on their home field, playoffs included.
Detroit led 27-6 at the break, putting the combined total of the Dallas halftime deficit at AT&T Stadium at 110-35 going back to a wild-card playoff loss to Green Bay in January.
The current skid followed a 16-game home winning streak that was second-longest in franchise history, and the 167 points allowed by Dallas are the third most in a four-game home stretch in NFL history.
“I’m not a guy to hit the panic button,” Prescott said. “You never prepare for that or think that can happen the way it did today, here at home, again. Now dropping three at home, a place that we’ve been great.”
Goff set an NFL single-game record by going 18 of 18 in the Lions’ 42-29 victory over Seattle before their bye week. Goff’s overall streak of 19 completions — six shy of the league record — ended when he couldn’t connect with running back Jahmyr Gibbs on Detroit’s second offensive play.
On Detroit’s first play, coach Dan Campbell threw some shade at officials who penalized a potential winning 2-point pass in the Lions’ 20-19 loss at the Cowboys last December.
Dan Skipper reported as eligible for a vanilla 5-yard run by Montgomery. He was the tackle officials said reported as eligible when Taylor Decker caught the 2-point pass from Goff nine months ago.
The Lions were certain Decker had declared himself eligible, but it didn’t matter. The loss cost the Lions a shot at the top seed in the NFC, and they lost the conference championship game in San Francisco.
With the Lions leading 34-9 in the third quarter, Decker was again declared eligible on first down from the 2. Goff threw to him in the end zone, but Damone Clark broke up the pass.
“Yeah, we were joking we might throw two to two tackles,” Goff said after the Lions scored at least 40 points in consecutive games for the first time since 1962. “Tried to fit that into Decker, and couldn’t make it work.”
Facing a Dallas defense missing its two pass rushers, including two-time All-Pro Micah Parsons, and a starting linebacker and cornerback, Goff finished 18 of 25 without an interception. He is just the second QB with a passer rating of at least 150 in back-to-back starts; Drew Brees was the other in 2018.
Sam LaPorta had a 52-yard touchdown catch on a trick play when he was wide open after Goff pitched to Montgomery, who then pitched on a reverse to Amon-Ra St. Brown, who got it back to Goff for the deep throw.
Montgomery’s first score was a twisting, grinding 16-yarder to put Detroit up for good at 7-3.
Prescott’s first interception — and the first of five Dallas turnovers — came in the end zone on a sprinting play by Brian Branch when the Cowboys had a chance to retake the lead in the first quarter.
Branch had another interception and is the second player in franchise history with two picks and a forced fumble in the same game.
“I thought we really played the most complete game we’ve probably played here in a long time, if not the most since we’ve been here,” fourth-year Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “We applied pressure, we finally got a multiple takeaway game. We’ve talked about it. These things will come in bunches.”
After Goff’s 37-yard scoring toss to Jameson Williams for a 34-6 lead early in the third quarter, “Let’s go Lions” chants broke out.
And there were plenty of boos for Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and company. The star quarterback and his All-Pro receiver had more connection problems as Prescott finished with a 42.2 passer rating, second-worst of his career.
“A loss is a loss,” Lamb said. “Obviously at home is terrible. Us not scoring and them almost putting up 50 is even worse. As far as the confidence level, we’ve got time to regroup.”
Injuries
The Lions lost another defensive lineman in DT Kyle Peko, who injured a pectoral muscle in the first quarter and didn’t return.
Up next
The Lions visit Minnesota next Sunday. The Vikings (5-0) will be coming off their bye. The Cowboys are off next weekend.
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