The Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys took to the field on Sunday for a mammoth NFC clash. Both teams made the NFL playoffs last season and have similar aspirations this year.The Cowboys entered this game with a 3-2 record. It has been a mixed year for them so far but they were looking to build on their win in Pittsburgh last week. A victory would allow them to tie the Commanders' record as the leaders in the NFC East.The Lions were coming off a bye and were 3-1 for the season. A win would've put pressure on the Vikings atop the NFC North. This is how the action went down.Lions vs. Cowboys box scoresQuarter1234TotalLions720101047Cowboys33309Lions box scorePassingPlayerC/ATTYDSAVGTDINTSACKSRTGJared Goff18/2531512.6302-17153.8Hendon Hooker1/2199.5001-983.3Team19/2730812.4303-26149.3RushingPlayerCARYDSAVGTDLONGDavid Montgomery12806.7219Jahmyr Gibbs12635.3015Craig Reynolds6213.506Jameson Williams11111011Sione Vaki15505Jared Goff351.705Hendon Hooker1-1-10-1Team361845.1219ReceivingPlayerRECYDSAVGTDLONGTGTSJameson Williams37625.31374Kalif Raymond47318.30386Tim Patrick36822.70423Sam LaPorta152521521Amon-Ra St. Brown4379.31164Jahmyr Gibbs3289.30205Allen Robinson000001Taylor Decker000001David Montgomery100001Brock Wright000001Team1933417.635227DefensePlayerTOTSOLOSACKSTFLPDQB HTSTDAmik Robertson7500000Jack Campbell7100000Brian Branch6500210Alim McNeill4222030Kerby Joseph4200100Malcolm Rodriguez3300000Trevor Nowaske3211010Isaac Ukwu3200000Ennis Rakestraw Jr.3200000Aidan Hutchinson3111030Alex Anzalone3000200Jalen Reeves-Maybin2200000Carlton Davis III2200200Levi Onwuzurike2200000Josh Paschal2201010Terrion Arnold2200100DJ Reader2100010Kindle Vildor2100100Jake Bates1100000Sione Vaki1100000Kyle Peko1000010Khalil Dorsey1000100Team64394510110KickingPlayerFGPCTLONGXPPTSJake Bates4/4100485/517Cowboys box scorePassingPlayerC/ATTYDSAVGTDINTSACKSRTGDak Prescott17/331785.4024-2642.2Cooper Rush8/11464.2010-042.2Team25/441985.1034-2642.2RushingPlayerCARYDSAVGTDLONGRico Dowdle5255012Ezekiel Elliott8172.106KaVontae Turpin16606Cooper Rush12202CeeDee Lamb12202Dak Prescott11101Team17533.1012ReceivingPlayerRECYDSAVGTDLONGTGTSCeeDee Lamb78912.702714Jalen Tolbert44310.80265Rico Dowdle53060156KaVontae Turpin42460127Jalen Brooks115150156Ryan Flournoy112120121Jake Ferguson3113.7064Team25224902743DefensePlayerTOTSOLOSACKSTFLPDQB HTSTDDamone Clark940.51110Donovan Wilson7411010Amani Oruwariye5400100Chauncey Golston530.51010Malik Hooker5200000DeMarvion Overshown4300000Osa Odighizuwa4200010Jourdan Lewis4100000Trevon Diggs3300000Linval Joseph3200000Mazi Smith3200000Tyrus Wheat3200000KJ Henry3111010Markquese Bell2200000Andrew Booth Jr.2100000Marist Liufau2100000Carl Lawson2000010C.J. Goodwin1100000Nick Vigil1100000Israel Mukuamu1100000Jalen Brooks1100000Ryan Flournoy1100000Team714234270KickingPlayerFGPCTLONGXPPTSBrandon Aubrey3/3100500/09Lions vs. Cowboys game summaryBased on their respective standings, a neutral observer would have expected a close game but this was a blowout. The Lions dominated every facet of the game as they improved their record to 4-1 for the season.The first quarter set the tone for the rest of the match. The Cowboys scored first with a field goal but the Lions responded with a touchdown on the next drive. David Montgomery scored and it was to become a recurring theme as he and Jahmyr Gibbs made hay against a Dallas defense that seemed incapable of stopping the run, yet again.Worse was to come in the second quarter as an interception from Dak Prescott gave the Lions a chance to add to their score. They responded with a field goal and when the Cowboys punted the next time, Detroit was in no mood to squander the opportunity as they scored a touchdown with Jared Goff finding Sam LaPorta with a deep throw after a flea flicker routine.The two teams exchanged field goals at the end of the half and David Montgomery rushed in for his second foray into the endzone for the night to make the score 27-6 in favor of the Lions. Ignoring the kneel-down to run out the clock just before halftime, Detroit scored on every drive.The second half was no better for the Cowboys. The Lions set the tone yet again with a touchdown on their opening drive. Dallas could only respond with a field goal but Detroit scored one of their own with their next opportunity.With the game slipping away in the fourth quarter, the home offense fumbled the ball to allow the visitors to add another three points before Dak Prescott was intercepted for the second time in the game. The ball was returned to set up a first-and-goal and Jared Goff connected with Amon-Ra St. Brown to bring the score to 47-9.That was the cue for both teams to hook their starting quarterbacks. Cooper Rush tried gamely to show why he should be given opportunities but as he tried to force the issue, he too was intercepted.Hendon Hooker came in as the game manager for the Lions and he took every opportunity to give the running backs a chance to run and take valuable seconds off the clock. But in a sign of how the game had gone, when Detroit turned the ball over on downs, a fumble by the Cowboys gifted it straight back to the visitors.The Cowboys are now 3-3 and the inquest will be difficult even though the judgment might be the same: Dallas' defense needs to improve significantly to stop the run and force turnovers, and their offense needs to take care of the ball better.