Detroit
Lions
0-0
45
FINAL
31
Dallas
Cowboys
0-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn an explosive season opener, the Detroit Lions topped the Dallas Cowboys with a final score of 45-31, setting the tone for what promises to be an exciting 2028 season. Both teams entered the game eager to establish early dominance, but it was Detroit that seized the momentum and never looked back.
Jared Goff was the star of the night for the Lions, throwing for an impressive 343 yards and three touchdowns, showcasing his precision and poise in the pocket. Meanwhile, Jameson Williams made his presence felt with 128 receiving yards, providing a consistent target for Goff and stretching the field effectively. Rachaad White shone for the Cowboys as well, racking up 156 rushing yards, but it wasn’t enough to keep pace with the Lions’ offensive onslaught.
Defensively, the Lions made crucial plays that shifted the game's dynamics, highlighted by Jacoby Windmon's interception which halted a promising Cowboys drive. The turning point came late in the second quarter when Windmon's pick not only stopped Dallas in their tracks but also led to a quick touchdown for the Lions, extending their lead and putting them in control for the remainder of the contest. The Cowboys' defense, led by Sonny Styles' seven tackles and Donovan Ezeiruaku's sack, struggled to contain the Lions' high-powered offense, ultimately leading to their downfall in this high-scoring affair.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jared Goff | QB | 32 | 29 | 91% | 343 | 3 | 1 | 129.5 |
| Keelon Russell | QB | 4 | 1 | 25% | 10 | 0 | 0 | 39.5 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rachaad White | HB | 22 | 156 | 7.1 | 41 | 0 | 46 | 1 |
| Keelon Russell | QB | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Jonah Coleman | HB | 3 | 16 | 5.3 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Kaytron Allen | HB | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Joshisa Trader | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sam LaPorta | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaac TeSlaa | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jared Goff | QB | 1 | -1 | -1.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian McCaffrey | HB | 14 | -2 | -0.1 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jameson Williams | WR | 10 | 128 | 12.8 | 51 | 0 | 21 | 1 |
| Trent Henderson | TE | 3 | 82 | 27.3 | 62 | 3 | 70 | 0 |
| Sam LaPorta | TE | 4 | 65 | 16.3 | 34 | 2 | 47 | 0 |
| Isaac TeSlaa | WR | 5 | 56 | 11.2 | 5 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | WR | 3 | 52 | 17.3 | 9 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Luke Schoonmaker | TE | 3 | 35 | 11.7 | 9 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Christian McCaffrey | HB | 6 | 32 | 5.3 | 17 | 1 | 14 | 0 |
| Tre Tucker | WR | 2 | 27 | 13.5 | 13 | 1 | 18 | 0 |
| Elijah Sarratt | WR | 1 | 21 | 21.0 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Jack Westover | FB | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Rachaad White | HB | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonny Styles | MIKE | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jacoby Windmon | MIKE | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Emmanuel Forbes Jr | CB | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jermod McCoy | CB | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Anthony Hill Jr. | WILL | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Derek Carr | CB | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Avieon Terrell | CB | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jermond McCoy | CB | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Donovan Ezeiruaku | REDGE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Malik Muhammad | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Caleb Downs | FS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LT Overton | LEDGE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Marcus Jones | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shemar Turner | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kerby Joseph | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brian Branch | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Terrion Arnold | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Nick Herbig | REDGE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Morgan Chambers | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gregory Hannon | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ronnie Hickman | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alim McNeill | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sidney Stewart | SAM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aidan Hutchinson | LEDGE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Smael Mondon Jr | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Damarious Bradley | MIKE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Aubrey | K | 1 | 1 | 4 | 58 |
| Joey Slye | K | 1 | 1 | 6 | 45 |

