The Dallas Cowboys will meet their 14th and final opponent of the 2023 season on Dec. 30th. Dallas will host the Detroit Lions in their home finale.
The Cowboys have won the last five games between the teams, dating back to a 2013 loss in Detroit.
Dallas will close out the regular season the following week in Washington D.C.
The Cowboys hold an 18-12 advantage over the Lions in their 30 previous meetings. Dallas has outscored Detroit 770-573 overall.
Home Sweet Home
The Cowboys are 10-3 against the Lions in regular season games in Dallas. They have won both home playoff games between the two teams as well.
Dallas won the first five meetings in Dallas, including all three played in the Cotton Bowl.
The third game of the streak was the 1970 NFC Divisional game.
Mike Clark’s 26-yard field goal was the only offense of the game, with Jethro Pugh and George Andrie sacking Greg Landry for a safety in the 5-0 Cowboys win.
Dallas would go on to defeat the 49ers the next week.
The Cowboys would lose to the Colts in Super Bowl V.
Detroit Finally Wins In Big D
Detroit would finally break through at Texas Stadium in 1994. Barry Sanders (194 yards) and Emmitt Smith (143 yards, 1 touchdown) put on a great show.
But Detroit’s Scott Mitchell tossed a pair of touchdowns and Jason Hanson booted a 44-yard field goal for a 20-17 overtime win.
Dallas would win the next two home games.
The Lions scored the last nine points of the game to escape with a 39-31 win in the Texas Stadium finale in 2006.
Jon Kitna threw for four touchdowns in the game.
Dallas won the first meeting at AT&T Stadium in 2010, only to have the Lions win in Dallas in 2011.
The Cowboys have won the last four meetings in Dallas.
The biggest win was the 2015 Wild Card game, as the Cowboys scored 17 unanswered points for a 24-20 win.
The Unkind Road
Detroit is 8-6 in regular-season games against the Cowboys in Detroit, including a 38-6 win in the 1992 Divisional playoffs.
Despite the losing record, Dallas has outscored the Lions 344-311.
Dallas won the last meeting in Detroit between the teams in 2019. The Cowboys fell to the Lions 23-14 in Detroit in their first meeting in 1960.
The teams did not play in Detroit again until 1975. The Cowboys scored 27 unanswered second-half points in a 36-10 victory.
Roger Staubach threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter.
Running Back Robert Newhouse tossed a 46-yard scoring pass to Drew Pearson in the final quarter as well.
Looking Fine With 59
The Cowboys’ record for most points scored in a single game is 59.
They’ve done it twice.
They beat the 49ers 59-14 on Oct. 12, 1980, at Texas Stadium.
But the first time Dallas set the mark of 59 came against the Lions at the Cotton Bowl in 1968. The teams opened the season on Sept. 15.
At least the Cowboys did.
The Lions actually scored first, a Landry 45-yard pass to Mel Farr for a 6-0 lead. That was as good as it got for the Lions.
Don Meredith answered with a 50-yard pass to Bob Hayes for a 7-6 lead after the first quarter.
The Cowboys scored 24 points in the second, including a 35-yard interception return by Chuck Howley.
The teams exchanged third-quarter touchdowns before Dallas salted the game away with three fourth-quarter scores for a 59-13 victory.