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Detroit Lions goal was clear vs. Dallas Cowboys: ‘Unload the clip’

Vaseline October 14, 2024

Arlington, Texas – Whether it was directed from the top or was just a matter of everyone naturally being on the same page, the Detroit Lions were on the same page all week.

Both players and coaches continually gave up the story that this meant something extra. Despite how last season’s game ended in Dallas, this year’s rematch against the Cowboys was just another day at the office for a group trying to get the full 60 minutes together.

The evidence on the field at AT&T Stadium during Detroit’s 47-9 win on Sunday painted a very different picture.

Swing tackle Dan Skipper, one of the sides at the center of the 2023 debacle, was moved toward the end of the game and split out wide as a receiver; left tackle Taylor Decker tried to sneak away from the line of scrimmage to grab a touchdown, a hilarious ode to last season’s botched two-point attempt; right tackle Penei Sewell was the recipient of a hook-and-lateral call that nearly resulted in a score — the play’s name is “grenade special” — although it was called back for a penalty.

The Lions did a good job of not giving the Cowboys any message board material all week. But once the game started and started to get out of hand, it was clear that Detroit wanted to rub the Cowboys’ noses in it.

“We knew we were going to come here and release the clip because we wanted to make a statement and have it,” Decker said. “… Especially after a bye, we don’t want to have a dip in our performance. Because we had been working towards a more complete performance, especially on offense. We played well against Seattle, and then I think we played even better this week.”

If it wasn’t clear after the Seattle game – a game in which the Lions dropped 42 points – this offense has its swagger back after getting off to a slow start through the first three weeks. It marks just the fifth time in franchise history that Detroit has scored 40 or more points in consecutive games, and the first time since 1962. Sunday’s 47-point outburst was the most for the Lions in a game since 2011.

Even in the second half and leading through multiple possessions, the Lions continued to go for the jugular. Receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said the halftime message was for the team to keep its foot on the accelerator.

“He’s really good at what he does,” St. Brown said of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who was the architect of Sunday’s trick plays, which also included a double-reverse flea flicker that resulted in a 52-yard touchdown for tight end . Sam LaPorta. ‘He watches the whole movie. He is there day and night studying the cassette tapes, trying to get his men in the right position to make the plays. It appeared today.

“(We have) everyone playing throughout the offense. If it goes like this, you’ll score 40-plus points. If we can keep this energy going, we’ll be fine.”

Decker, who was previously 0-5 against the Cowboys in his career since being drafted in 2016, said this was probably the most complete victory he has ever been a part of. He credited his teammate’s mentality of not being satisfied with one-possession wins.

The Lions realized they had left some meat on the bone in previous games this season. But against the Cowboys, a team that caused so much pain nine and a half months ago, Detroit left no doubt.

“I think we’re bitter about what happened last year, but then there’s the whole thing where this is a new year (and) the teams are different. But we wanted to come out here and make a statement,” Decker said . “The staff prepared us really well for everything. I think the guys were ready. Sometimes after a bye week you can take a break. It was really good to see everyone flying around there, doing their assignments (and) playing hard. It was a special one.”

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