Stopping Lions on 4th downs among Cowboys keys to Thursday victory

The Dallas Cowboys are on a tear. After starting the season 3-5-1, the Cowboys righted their ship through a series of trade additions and welcome backs. The roster upgrades have delivered three straight wins and placed Dallas back in the playoff conversation at 6-5-1.

The Detroit Lions are following a different trend. After starting the season 5-2, they lost three of their next five, entering this Week 14 contest at a cool 7-5. Like Dallas, Detroit’s turnaround and direction can at least partially be attributed to their personnel. Sadly, it’s a personnel deficiency that’s been dictating the path as they deal with injury after injury in 2025.

The Cowboys are generally healthy for this time of year. Tyler Guyton, Trevon Diggs and Jadeveon Clowney appear to be the only key players at risk of missing the game. With many game-time decisions for Detroit, it’s safe to say the injured list will play a major role in this NFC showdown.

Pressure Goff

Jared Goff is one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL when he’s playing on script, following reads, and standing clean. When asked to adjust or improvise, things tend to change for the Sean McVay castoff. Pressuring Goff is a key task the Cowboys must complete this Thursday in Detroit.

Among NFL starters playing at least 50 percent of the snaps in 2025, Goff is the fourth-lowest graded QB when playing under pressure. It’s night and day for the Lions QB and a task the Cowboys’ defense must pounce on.

Dallas still leads the NFL in pressure rate by a fairly hefty margin, so it’s within their power to see this task through. The injury report might also favor them as multiple linemen on Detroit’s line are playing through various injuries.

Operation: Stop Gibbs

Jahmyr Gibbs is one of the best running backs in the NFL and it’s not hard to see why. Blessed with power and speed, shimmy and shake, Gibbs is a threat from anywhere on the field. He’s a top-flight runner and pass catcher, serving as the catalyst for this Lions offense in 2025.

With tight end Sam LaPorta out and star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown very possibly sidelined as well, the onus will fall on Gibbs to move the chains. While Jameson Williams provides explosive plays, he’s notoriously inconsistent in his play. Gibbs is there week after week and therefore the top weapon to key on in this must-win affair.

Fourth downs

If there’s one character trait that defines Lions head coach Dan Campbell, it’s his willingness to go for it on fourth downs. Campbell often leads the NFL in go-for-it-ness, and the 2025 season is no exception. The Cowboys have to be prepared for these situations on Thursday night because plays like this can change the course of the game.

On the other side of things, Brian Schottenheimer should take note of some of Campbell’s tactics on these critical downs. The Cowboys head coach ranks as one of the worst fourth down decision-makers in the NFL this season by not following the probabilities. He’s improved as of late but still has room to grow in this regard.

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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Gibbs, Goff and 4th downs among things Cowboys must handle in Week 14