Dallas City News

With three consecutive 12-5 seasons, the Dallas Cowboys have been one of the better teams in the NFC over the last three years. They are expected to be tough again this year, but so are some other teams who have had recent success. Previously, we looked at the San Francisco 49ers, and today we’ll continue to preview some of the Cowboys’ toughest obstacles this year, moving on to one of the new teams on the rise.

DETROIT LIONS

Head Coach: Dan Campbell, three seasons 24-26 (.480)

The Detroit Lions have been the doormat of the NFC North for many years. Can you believe it had been 30 years since they had won the division before taking down the crown last year? Here are the NFC division titles from 1994 to 2022:

But the Lions are roaring again in a big way. They advanced to the NFC Championship game a year ago and looked like they were on their way to the Super Bowl as they held a 24-7 halftime lead against the 49ers. Unfortunately, things unraveled in the second half and that was the end of their Cinderella story. But this was just the beginning. With Dan Campbell now calling the shots, the Lions have suddenly become one of the top teams in the NFC.

2023 Statistics

Record: 12-5, 1st in the NFC North, 3rd seed in the NFC playoffs

Offense rank: Points (5th), Yards (3rd), passing efficiency (3rd), and rushing efficiency (5th)

Defense rank: Points (23rd), Yards (19th), passing efficiency (29th), and rushing efficiency (3rd)

2023 Leaders

Passing: Jared Goff = 67.3% completion, 4,575 yards, 30 TDs, 12 INTs

Rushing: David Montgomery = 1,015 yards (4.6 ypc), 13 TDs

Receiving: Amon-Ra St. Brown = 119 catches for 1,515 yards and 10 TDs

Sacks: Aidan Hutchinson = 11.5

Tackles: Alex Anzalone = 129

Interceptions: Kerby Joseph = 4

Best offensive weapon

Amon-Ra St. Brown was the steal of the 2021 NFL Draft as he was the 17th wide receiver taken (112th overall) in what was a deep WR draft class. However, no one from the draft has more receptions than St. Brown. He hit the ground running making an immediate impact. He has gotten better each year. He’s coming off his best season with over 1,500 receiving yards, joining Tyreek Hill and CeeDee Lamb as last year’s first-team All-Pro wideouts.

Best defensive weapon

Aidan Hutchinson was the second overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and has lived up to the hype. Over his first two years in the league, he has accrued 21 sacks, 103 tackles, and an impressive four interceptions. At just 23 years old, he’s already becoming one of the league’s best pass rushers and possesses an incredible knack for making plays.

Notable losses

The Lions are trending upwith more gains than losses which should make them even more of a challenge this season. Their only casualty is losing Pro Bowl left guard Jonah Jackson who signed a three-year, $51 million deal with the Los Angeles Rams. Fortunately for them, they still have one of the best offensive lines in the league as the Lions were able to replace him in free agency, which brings us to…

Notable additions

Detroit replaced Jackson with veteran guard Kevin Zeitler who signed a one-year, $6 million deal this offseason. Zeitler joins an already strong offensive line that features All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell and three-time Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow.

The biggest improvements come in the secondary as they’ve completely remodeled the cornerback position group, which is understandable considering they had the fourth-worst net yards per passing attempt last season. They signed free agent Amik Robertson (from the Raiders) to a two-year, $9.5 million deal and traded a third-round pick for Carton Davis (from the Bucs). They also selected the top college corner in the draft which we’ll get to in a second.

Finally, they added defensive tackle D.J. Reader in free agency who signed a two-year, $27.3 million deal in free agency to help strengthen an already good run defense. This was a good move considering everyone in their division signed a new free agent running back.

Top draft pick

Cowboys fans might remember the Lions trading up to pick 24 in the draft so they could select Alabama corner Terrion Arnold. Detroit paid a hefty price to move up just four spots giving Dallas a third-round pick in exchange (Cooper Beebe). It was important for the Lions to address a huge need on defense and they felt Arnold had fallen far enough.

2024 game against Dallas: Week 6 at AT&T Stadium