3 Keys to Victory for Lions against Cowboys

Here's what Detroit has to do to beat the Cowboys on Sunday.

Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson tries to tackle Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during the first half at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

In Week 6, the Lions will square off with the Dallas Cowboys, in a battle of division winners from a season ago.

Detroit is coming off its bye week, while the Cowboys are looking to notch their third straight win after beating the Giants and the Steelers in Weeks 4 and 5, respectively.

The Lions, losers of six in a row against Dallas, last beat the Cowboys during the 2013 season.

In order for Dan Campbell's squad to get off the schneid against Dallas, here are three things it must do on Sunday.

Run the football early and often

Since turning its fortunes around as a franchise, Detroit's bread and butter offensively has been running the football. And expect much of the same on Sunday against the Cowboys.

Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery are one of the best running back tandems in the game today, and have combined for 556 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns through four games. They've propelled the Lions to the sixth-most total yards on the ground in the NFL. Plus, they've undoubtedly played an integral role in Detroit's 3-1 start to the season.

I'm convinced that Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will deploy a run-heavy offense against Dallas. The Cowboys have allowed the ninth-most yards on the ground (675) and the fifth-most rushing touchdowns (eight) in 2024. 

Running the football early and often should be a recipe for success for Detroit in this Week 6 matchup.

Get in Dak Prescott's face 

The Cowboys, with Prescott under center, have featured a pass-heavy offense through their first five games this season. In fact, Dallas has attempted the second-most passes in the NFL thus far (194), plus has thrown for the second-most yards (1,358).

Subsequently, I believe that Detroit's pass-rush – led by Pro Bowl EDGE Aidan Hutchinson – will be key to limiting the Cowboys’ success through the air Sunday. If Hutchinson can get to Prescott often enough (which I believe he will), it will go a long way toward the Lions securing the Week 6 victory.

Prevent CeeDee Lamb from having a monstrous game

Lamb is undeniably the Cowboys’ best offensive weapon. The All-Pro wideout has amassed 25 catches for 378 yards and just two touchdowns through five games. Plus, he's averaging only five receptions and 75.6 yards per game. Yet, there's always a chance he could go off for 90 yards, as he did in Weeks 2 and 4 against the Saints and Giants, respectively. 

Lamb has also had his way in the past against the Lions. Just last season, the Oklahoma product exploded for a single game-best 13 receptions and 227 yards in a Week 17 victory for Dallas.

Detroit will need to do a much better job of keeping him at bay in this Week 6 contest. And, I believe that defensive back Carlton Davis, as the team's No. 1 cornerback, will be key to those efforts. If the Lions are able to keep Lamb in check, it will go a long way toward Dan Campbell's team notching its fourth win on the season.