The Detroit Lions emerged victorious in a dominant 47-9 performance against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday afternoon, but the game was overshadowed by a devastating injury to star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson.
The Lions (4-1) were firing on all cylinders from the outset, scoring on their opening drive and picking off a pass on the next to jump out to an early 10-0 lead. The Cowboys (3-3) struggled to keep pace, and Detroit extended its lead to 27-6 at halftime. The Lions offense, led by quarterback Jared Goff, put up nearly 500 yards of offense, while the defense held the Cowboys to just 251 yards.
Goff threw for 315 yards and three touchdowns, completing 18 of 25 passes. His top targets were wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, who caught touchdown passes, and tight end Sam LaPorta, who had a 52-yard touchdown catch on a trick play. Running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs also contributed, with Montgomery rushing for two touchdowns and Gibbs putting up 91 total yards.
However, the Lions’ victory was marred by the injury to Hutchinson, who suffered a broken tibia in the third quarter. The 2022 second overall pick was carted off the field after his leg bent awkwardly when it collided with the leg of teammate Alim McNeill while sacking Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. The injury occurred with 11:43 left in the third quarter, and Hutchinson was immediately taken to a hospital in the Dallas area for surgery.
Head coach Dan Campbell revealed after the game that Hutchinson had suffered a broken tibia and would be remaining in Dallas for further evaluation. Campbell added that Hutchinson is in “good hands” but will be “down for a little while,” stopping short of providing a concrete timeline for his recovery.
The loss of Hutchinson is a significant blow to the Lions’ defense, which ranked fourth in the NFL against the run entering the game. Hutchinson was having a breakout season, leading the league with 6.5 sacks before Sunday’s game and upping that total to 7.5 against the Cowboys. With starting defensive end Marcus Davenport already out for the season with a torn triceps, the Lions are now thin at the edge rusher position, with Isaac Ukwu and Josh Paschal as the top backups.
Despite the loss of Hutchinson, the Lions defense continued to perform well, forcing two interceptions and recovering a fumble. Safety Brian Branch had a standout game with two interceptions, a quarterback hit, and six tackles.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, struggled to generate any offense against the Lions’ stingy defense. Prescott completed just 17 of 33 passes for 178 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. The Cowboys’ running game was also ineffective, as they managed just 73 yards on 22 carries.
The Lions’ win improves their record to 4-1, putting them in second place in the NFC North behind the undefeated Minnesota Vikings (5-0). The Lions will face the Vikings next week in a crucial NFC North showdown.
For the Cowboys, the loss marks their fourth consecutive lopsided defeat at home, with Dallas allowing 167 points in those four games. The Cowboys are now 0-3 at home and 3-0 on the road.
While the Lions’ victory was a resounding success, the team will undoubtedly be thinking about Hutchinson and his long road to recovery as they prepare for their next game against the Vikings.