Clarence Hill: 5 Things from the Dallas Cowboys’ 24-6 victory against the Detroit Lions

On paper, it wasn’t the welcome-back performance from Dak Prescott that the quarterback and the Dallas Cowboys were hoping for.

Owner Jerry Jones was screaming in his pillow with excitement before the game and anticipated a great game from Prescott after saying he was picture-esque in practice last week.

In the end, the best thing Prescott did was not turn the ball over and lead the Cowboys (5-2) to a 24-6 victory against the Detroit Lions (1-5) that was actually Cooper Rush-esque.

Prescott completed 19 of 25 passes for 207 yards and had his first touchdown pass of the season in the fourth quarter with a 2-yard pass to rookie tight end Peyton Hendershot.

But the Cowboys got back in the win column following last week’s 26-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles thanks to play of the defense, which produced five turnovers in the second half (two interceptions and three fumbles).

The Cowboys also recorded five sacks in the game to increase their league lead.

It was the same formula the Cowboys used to win four of the last five games with Rush at quarterback.

“I don’t know if I would have felt it without being able to watch these guys for the last five weeks,” Prescott said. “This time I had off was a blessing. Coop did an amazing job keeping us in this position. Once again, the defense and the team played complementary football.

“It was important for me to see that and recognize that. Don’t try to do to much. We got a helluva running game. We got a defense that can force turnovers and a great special teams that is aggressive. It is great just being a part of it. I am just trying to play my role to give this team the best chance to win.”

As far as the thumb is concerned, Prescott said he had no issues against the Lions and showed as much during and after the when he gave center Tyler Biadasz a celebratory slap on the rear end as the headed into the locker room.

“Thumb feels good,” Prescott said with a laugh. “But nothing that can substitute this. This game has been a safe haven and peace for me. Nothing like celebrating in the locker room after a hard-fought week of preparations and a hard-fought game. Just blessed and privileged to be back at it.”

The Cowboys will try to make it two in a row with Prescott when they host the Chicago Bears (2-4) next Sunday at AT&T Stadium.

Clarence Hill’s 5 Things from the Dallas Cowboys’ 24-6 victory against the Detroit Lions:

Dak Prescott was not picture perfect but he got the win

Dak Prescott was a little juiced up to start the game, opening with a high throw to Noah Brown on the opening play. It was still a catchable ball but Brown couldn’t come down with it.

It was the precursor to three-and-outs by the Cowboys on the first two drives

Prescott got warmed up up a little on the third possession of the game that including three straight completions, including a 24-yard strike to CeeDee Lamb.

The Cowboys ultimately had to settle for a field goal after getting 8 yards on three straight runs following a first-and-10 at the 11.

A promising drive by Prescott before the half was thwarted by a fumble from Brown after a 14-yard reception to the Lions 6.

Prescott was 9 of 14 for 104 yards in the first half.

Prescott never quite got untracked, completing 19 of 25 passes for 207 yards. And he got his first touchdown pass of the season in the fourth quarter.

It wasn’t the picture-perfect performance the Cowboys were hoping for.

Blame the Brown fumble and some questionable play calls on third down.

Prescott said he should have run the ball on the first throw to Brown as he had a wide open field in front of him decided to throw when the receiver flashed in front of him, causing the pass to sail a little

He also forced a few throws into double coverage that he would like to have back.

“Some of those throws were overconfident, and I need to guard against that,” Prescott said.

But Prescott didn’t turn the ball over and he was efficient enough to nurse the Cowboy to victory in his first game back from injury.

“I felt great. Thumb wasn’t bothering me,” Prescott said. “This is about the team. This was a great team win.”

Penalties continue to plague the Cowboys

Cowboys continue to be their own worst enemy with penalties.

They had four for 35 yards in the first half against the Lions and finished with seven for 55 yards.

There were two false starts on offense, which shouldn’t happen at home.

Maybe the offense needs time to get used to quarterback Dak Prescott’s cadence and voice again.

The second came on a second-quarter drive that also included an illegal block penalty on receiver Noah Brown.

First-and-15 was followed by a 2-yard run by Ezekiel Elliott before the penalty on Brown. Prescott followed with two straight incompletions on second-and-20 and third-and-20.

Linebacker Micah Parsons also had a personal foul penalty for the second straight game. He was flagged for taunting against the Eagles and was called for a roughing the passer penalty against the Lions.

Parsons didn’t like either call. But they were textbook fouls.

Trevon Diggs is an interception machine

Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs continues to be a game-changing interception machine for the Cowboys.

A year after leading the league with 11 interceptions, tying the most in the NFL since Everson Walls set a club record with 11 in 1981, Diggs is among the league leaders again with three in 2022.

His diving interception of a Jared Goff pass on the opening drive in the third quarter Sunday against the Lions proved to be a game-changer for the Cowboys offense and defense.

Down 6-3 at halftime, the Cowboys followed with an 82-yard scoring drive to put them in the lead for first time as they never relinquished it.

Ezekiel Elliott got the capper on a 1-yard run. Diggs’ play proved to be an omen for the fourth quarter.

Leaky Cowboys defense comes up big in the fourth

Up 10-6 in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys defense looked like it was heading toward a repeat of last week’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles when it gave up a game-deciding drive in a 26-17 loss.

The Lions had run well for much of the day and quarterback Jared Goff somehow had come up with a few first downs throwing the ball to wide-open receivers.

Goff hit Kalif Raymond for 19 yards on third-and-13. Jamal Williams, who rushed for 79 yards on 15 carries, ripped off a 20-yard run.

And Goff connected with Brock Wright for a 17-yard pass, giving them a first-and-goal at the 1. The best thing about the play was Parsons chasing Wright down at the 1 to prevent touchdowns.

Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence forced a fumble on the next play from Williams and linebacker Anthony Barr recovered, keeping the score 10-6.

“It was huge, they were bringing the ball downfield and for Micah to have that type of energy and effort on that play to stop him at the one-yard line it just gave us another opportunity to get the ball back,” Lawrence said. “That type of energy goes a long way, it’s contagious around the whole room and we’re just going to keep it going.”

Said Parsons: “At first I thought he scored, I didn’t think I’d make it. I sat down with (Quinn) this past weekend, he was talking to me about plays I could make just using my speed, knowing that it’s my superpower. We just had that father-son talk this week and he challenged me and I told him if you challenge me I’ll never let you down.”

And after the Cowboys were forced to punt, the defense came up big again with an interception by cornerback Jourdan Lewis.

This time the offense made it count with a 54-yard game-sealing scoring drive.

Of course, rookie defensive end Sam Williams got in on the act with a sack and forced fumble on the ensuing drive. Williams had two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Parsons added his own sack and forced fumble on the next drive, giving Cowboys four turnovers in the fourth quarter.

Parsons now has seven sacks on the season.

Ezekiel Elliott shows his toughness, Cowboys running tandem solid

The Cowboys didn’t run the ball as well as they hoped against a Lions defense that ranked last in the NFL against the run.

But they ultimately ran it well enough with Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard.

It’s also time for fans and media to stop complaining how the Cowboys are using Elliott and Pollard as a tandem. Both were effective against the Lions.

Elliott rushed for 57 yards and two touchdowns.

Pollard totaled 83 yards on 12 carries.

If anything needs to be questioned, it’s the play-calling of offensive coordinator Kellen Moore with played a role in the continued struggles on third down.

But don’t ever question Elliott and his toughness.

He suffered a painful leg injury on an option play in the second quarter. Not only did he return to the game but his two touchdown runs in the second half also came after the injury.

“He is relentless. He is relentless,” Prescott said of Elliott. “When I saw the play (when he was injured) it was ugly. But it wasn’t too long before he was jumping a guy. We are blessed to have a back like we have. He is special.”