Tweetcap Week 11: Dak Prescott’s big day helps Cowboys fend off Lions 35-27

It wasn’t the easiest of victories as the Detroit Lions put up a decent fight, but the Dallas Cowboys notched their sixth win, 35-27. Let’s look at this game through the lens of social media, shall we?

FIRST QUARTER

Such is the never-ending, reoccurring story-line for the Dallas Cowboys, a propensity to harm themselves. On the second play from scrimmage, Ezekiel Elliott fumbles the football, Lion’s ball:

It’s the fourth time this season that the Cowboys have turned the ball over on their first possession of the game. Another troubling trend, it’s the third consecutive game where Dallas has made a costly mistake:

Just a few plays later, a former seventh-round pick, Bo Scarbrough, gives the Lions a 7-0 lead over his former team.

The Cowboys and Lions would trade three-and-out’s on their next possessions. Finally, the Cowboys offense starts moving the ball as Dak Prescott completes four of five passes to four different targets for 40 yards.

Yet, just as soon as the Cowboys start cooking at the DET-30, the drive is stalled by a penalty:

After the setback, Prescott manages to complete two 10+ yard passes to get back on track, but sadly is sacked for a 10-yard loss on third down at the DET-2. Cowboys take the points with a Brett Maher field goal. Lions 7, Cowboys 3.

After forcing another three-and-out, the Cowboys get the ball back with a little over a minute left in the first quarter. Starting at the DAL-30, Dak Prescott wastes no time putting the Cowboys in position with a 23-yard deep strike to Michael Gallup. On 3rd-and-3, Prescott’s precision passing continues with a 14-yarder to Randall Cobb, Cowboys also pick up a defensive holding assist to end the quarter.

SECOND QUARTER

Facing a 3rd-and-5 at the DET-21, Prescott decides to get the elusive rookie Tony Pollard involved, good luck stopping him... touchdown! Cowboys take the 10-7 lead.

The Lions next possession is futile from the start, Robert Quinn’s explosive first step leads to the sack. Quinn now has 8.5 sacks on the season, a great bargain for a sixth-round pick:

Unfortunately, the Cowboys would stall on offense and the Lions’ came roaring back with a drive of their own. Thanks to a porous Cowboys special teams unit, Detroit began at the DAL-45.

Jeff Driskel eludes the Cowboys for a 10-yard run and Dallas would give the Lions an assist with an offside penalty by Michael Bennett. A few plays later, Lions would retake the lead on a QB-run. Really, Cowboys? Jeff Driskel?! Lions 14, Cowboys 10

With under six minutes until halftime, Dak Prescott launches the ball deep, hoping to draw the pass interference, Michael Gallup ups the ante. It’s a 41-yard catch, Cowboys say thanks but no thanks for the flag.

Gallup later said he had to make this play because he made a mistake on the route:

Two plays later, Ezekiel Elliott reclaims the lead for the Cowboys to make up for his early fumble. Cowboys 17, Lions 14

The Lions would punt the ball back with just under two minutes until halftime. Dak Prescott decided that’s plenty of time to pour it on. This drive will forever be the Randall Cobb drive as Prescott finds a wide-open Cobb for 49 yards.

Two plays later, Cobb would hold on through some brutal contact to extend the Cowboys lead to 10.

Dallas would pick up an unnecessary roughness on Cobb score and add an unsportsmanlike conduct on the PAT. With that loss assessed, the Cowboys would kickoff at the DET-35. We go to the half, Cowboys 24, Lions 14.

THIRD QUARTER

With assistance from the Cowboys defense, the Lions march right down the field thanks to a busted coverage:

Quickly, the Lions get right back in the game with a touchdown to Marvin Jones. Cowboys lead is cut to three.

The Cowboys first possession of the second half starts where they left off as Dak Prescott completes a 33-yarder to Randall Cobb. Frustration follows with Prescott’s worst sequence of the game, three straight incompletions force the field goal unit to trot out. Brett Maher extends the Cowboys lead to six. Cowboys 27, Lions 21

FOURTH QUARTER

The Lions offense puts forth some effort but their drive ultimately stalls at the DAL-43, Cowboys receive the punt at their own 16-yard line.

We get an Amari Cooper cameo appearance for two receptions and 31 yards on this drive. Cooper was limited in this game as he deals with a nagging knee injury.

On 3rd-and-8, at the DET-17, Ezekiel Elliott makes a heck of a play for the TOUCHDOWN.

Cowboys successfully add two more points with an assist from Tony Pollard. Cowboys 35, Lions 21.

Detroit would not rest as they battered the Cowboys defense for three plays of 20+ yard gains. A QB scramble by Jeff Driskel for 23, followed by a 21-yard catch by Danny Amendola, and this by Marvin Jones:

For crying out loud, can we get some awareness in the secondary? Cowboys 35, Lions 27.

The Cowboys elect to not try and bleed the clock but instead keep padding the passing stats. Though they ultimately go three-and-out, it’s nice to see them go for the jugular. The Lions will get one more shot at it with less than four minutes to play.

With no pressure, Driskel fires one deep to Kenny Golladay, who makes an absurd play that should have never been allowed:

Finally, when they need someone to step up defensively, the Cowboys pass rush comes alive with two straight plays to effectively end the game with a Dallas victory formation, kneel-down.

COWBOYS WIN!

The story in this one, how about Dak Prescott?!