ARLINGTON, Texas – Home, cursed home.
That flow – or hex, trend, nightmare, embarrassment – continued for the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday with another rout at Jerry World.
Never mind that it was Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ 82nd birthday. The Detroit Lions blew out the candles before halftime and for a gag gift handed Jones a 47-9 drubbing that was the worst home loss in his 35-year ownership tenure.
Ouch.
Jones’ reactions:
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“Very concerning.”
“Very humbling.’
“I think it was just the feeling of a team having fun at our expense, Detroit having fun at our expense.”
Even with a flea-flicker that ended with Jared Goff’s 52-yard touchdown pass to Sam LaPorta, it was anything but a complete laugher for the Lions. Detroit’s star defensive end, Aidan Hutchinson, was carted off in the third quarter with his left leg immobilized by an air cast.
Yet, before and after Hutchinson suffered his gruesome injury, the pattern was in full effect as the Lions became the latest visitor to pummel Dallas at AT&T Stadium. Dating back to the NFC playoffs last season, that’s four consecutive games the Cowboys have dropped on their own turf – with the home team allowing a combined 167 points in the defeats.
Even worse, they barely put up a fight.
In Week 3, they fell behind 28-6 to the Baltimore Ravens, but the rally fell short in a 28-25 setback that was punctuated by the 274 rushing yards yielded by the Dallas defense.
In Week 2, they were blown out, 44-19, which included the New Orleans Saints scoring touchdowns on their first six drives.
In the first round of the NFC playoffs in January, the Green Bay Packers scored TDs on five straight possessions to set the course to a 48-32 finish.
On Sunday? The Cowboys (3-3) couldn’t score a touchdown. And that depleted defense – without key starters Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence and DaRond Bland – was shredded for 492 yards during a serious payback encounter.
Funny, but the Lions (4-1) were the last team the Cowboys defeated at Jerry World. And that one came with a controversial finish as the Lions had a would-be touchdown wiped out by a technicality centered on Dan Skipper for a tackle-eligible play.
Well, that was then. This is now.
The Lions extracted some revenge as Jared Goff passed for 315 yards and 3 TDs, David Montgomery rushed for 80 yards and 2 TDs and safety Brian Branch collected two interceptions from Dak Prescott.
Still, there’s some good news for the Cowboys: They won’t lose next week.
The Cowboys have a bye in Week 7. And after that, they won’t play again at home until Week 10.
