DETROIT – This one's going to hurt for a while. The Dallas Cowboys blew a great opportunity to pull two games above .500
Here are my five thoughts on the Cowboys' 31-30 loss Sunday at Ford Field.
1.) It was going to be the biggest Cowboys victory of the season. But then Matthew Stafford took over and the Lions made one of the more improbable comebacks you'll see in a while. It's tough to win on the road back-to-back weeks and the Cowboys almost accomplished that. Jason Garrett always talks about putting the last game behind you and moving forward. That's going to be easier said than done with this one.
2.) It's a broken record but Dez Bryant has to be more involved early in games. If not just for his playmaking ability, to at least keep him from flipping out on Tony Romo on the sidelines. Bryant was very animated in the third quarter after the Cowboys failed to capitalize on the Lions' fourth turnover. He was visibly frustrated during the final minute as well. Bryant was single-covered on several occasions on Sunday and only was targeted four times during the first three quarters. In the fourth, he obviously showed why he needs to be more involved, quickly turning a short pass into a 50-yard touchdown.
3.) Yes, it was a devastating loss, but that doesn't mean there weren't some positives to take away. For one, Sean Lee was outstanding. If you ever had any doubts about the Cowboys giving Lee a contract extension, Sunday's performance should be enough to answer all your questions. Lee was fantastic in pass defense, intercepting two Matthew Stafford throws in the first-half. Lee now has 11 interceptions in his short career, which is amazing for a linebacker. As long as he stays healthy, Lee, who also had a team-high 10 tackles, should easily prove to be worth his new deal. And that 2010 draft is looking pretty good for the Cowboys.
4.) Positive No. 2: Terrance Williams has a chance to be really special. And with Miles Austin's constant hamstring injuries, that's probably a very good thing. Williams was Romo's favorite target Sunday. He went to the rookie 10 times. Romo might have to listen to Bryant complain from time-to-time, but the franchise has to like the young playmakers he has on the outside.
5.) Detroit was sloppy with the ball throughout but there's no doubt that Monte Kiffin's style has greatly improved this team's ability to force turnovers. The Cowboys have forced 19 takeaways this season. They had 16 all of last season. Those four takeaways were arguably the biggest reason Dallas should've won that game. In the end, the defense will be blamed for allowing the Lions to march down the field and get seven. But sometimes credit has to be given to the other team, especially when they have the NFL's best playmaker in Calvin Johnson. Not many defensive backs would've had success against Megatron on this day.
Follow Jon Machota on Twitter: @jonmachota
