The Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1) visit the Detroit Lions (7-5) on Thursday Night Football in Week 14, with both teams vying for playoff positioning in the NFC. Dallas rides a three-game winning streak, including a 31-28 upset over the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving, while Detroit seeks to rebound from a 31-24 loss to the Green Bay Packers. The Lions are 3-point favorites at Ford Field, with an over/under of 54.5 points.
This matchup at Ford Field in Detroit, kicking off at 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video, carries significant playoff implications. The Cowboys trail Philadelphia by 1.5 games in the NFC East after victories over the Eagles (24-21 on Nov. 23) and Chiefs. Detroit, two games behind Chicago in the NFC North, has lost three of its last five games and won the teams' previous meeting 47-9 in 2024, ending Dallas' six-game series win streak. The Cowboys lead the all-time series 19-13.
Injuries could impact Detroit's offense: wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is questionable with an ankle injury after not practicing earlier this week, and tight end Sam LaPorta may miss the rest of the season with a back issue. Dallas has bolstered its defense since acquiring Quinnen Williams from the Jets, allowing just 69.7 rushing yards per game and 21.7 points per game during a 3-0 stretch post-bye week.
Quarterback Dak Prescott has completed 69.3% of his passes for 3,261 yards, 25 touchdowns, and eight interceptions this season, adding 124 rushing yards and two scores. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens have been key targets, with Pickens catching six passes for 88 yards against Kansas City. For Detroit, Jared Goff boasts a 69.8% completion rate, 3,025 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a 110.2 rating. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs has rushed for 1,019 yards and 10 touchdowns on 175 carries, including 219 yards and two scores against the Giants on Nov. 23.
The SportsLine Projection Model, which has simulated games 10,000 times and profited over $7,000 on top-rated NFL picks, projects 55 combined points and sees value on one side of the spread. Expert R.J. White, on a 34-22-2 run on Lions picks, leans over the total. Sporting News predicts a 34-31 Cowboys win, while CBS Sports' Pete Prisco forecasts 34-33 for Dallas. Both teams rank top-three in scoring at 29.3 and 29.2 points per game, setting up a potential high-scoring affair.
