DETROIT – Well, if there was any question about whether the Detroit Lions were still upset about what happened against the Cowboys last season, we now have our answer.

Clearly they haven’t forgotten.

It’s not just that the Lions went to Dallas this weekend and showed no mercy in a 47-9 thrashing. Heck, it’s not even like the starting offense continues throwing passes with a 31-point lead in the fourth quarter.

No, what really gave it away was how the Lions tried to completely humiliate the Cowboys. Like a cat playing with its food.

It started halfway through the third quarter, when the game was already over, at 34-9. The Lions were on the 2-yard line. Taylor Decker and Dan Skipper both reported eligibility, and I’m pretty sure everyone in the stadium knew what was going to happen.

Okay, let’s back up a bit, in case you haven’t been paying attention in the last ten months. Last year, in a Week 17 game with huge seeding implications, the Lions looked to beat the Cowboys in Dallas with a last-second two-point conversion pass to Decker.

But the game was called back due to a penalty for an ineligible player on the field. Essentially, officials said the Lions were too sneaky, and they felt Skipper was the one to officially file the charges, not Decker.

“Decker reported” has since become something of a rallying cry, so the Lions were clearly going to try something in this game.

So on the first and goal, even though Decker was well covered, Jared Goff tried to squeeze a pass into a tight window for a touchdown. It actually hit Decker’s hands, but the defender broke it up and the pass fell incomplete.

You may have thought, “Ah, okay, they took their chance. It was cute. Now they’re moving on.”

No. Not even close.

On the next drive – now up 37-9 – the Lions faced a second and 8 from the 10-yard line. Goff passed to Amon-Ra St. Brown, who ran laterally to Penei Sewell, who trudged 9 or 10 yards and dove toward the goal line.

We will never know whether he actually made it. Because the piece was recalled. For an illegal man in the field (Frank Ragnow).

Once again the Lions settled for a field goal.

After the Lions had Goff throw another touchdown pass to make it 47-9 early in the fourth, Hendon Hooker took over at quarterback. On a fourth down play at the Dallas 31 yard line, guess who declared eligible and lined up at wide receiver.

Then Schipper. And the Lions were clearly going to try to get him the ball, too. But the play was well defended and Hooker was dismissed.

Most teams would have already gone further than last season. Some may have tried one trick to make a statement.

But the Lions clearly went to Dallas on a mission, not only to win the game in a big way, but to stick the Cowboys’ nose in it.

None of the passes to linemen worked, but I suspect the Lions will get the 38-point win.