Cowboys-Lions Showdown Returns: High Stakes, High Emotions, and a Playoff Feel
FRISCO, Tex. — If push comes to shove on Sunday, with the Cowboys’ season on the line and their head coach’s future at stake, it will be thanks in no small part to Jerry Jones that Mike McCarthy has what passes for life support around here these days. When these two teams last met, it was no friendly match. The Cowboys were no match for the Lions at AT&T Stadium. It was a payback for a near and controversial victory by the Cowboys in an earlier meeting. These two teams have been crafting a rivalry of tension, physical play and moments fans can’t forget for years.
Now, as the calendar flips to December, both teams find themselves at a perilous stage of their season. The Thursday night game in Detroit is much more than just another game — it’s like a playoff game to both teams. Both teams need a victory to remain in playoff contention, and both are well aware of it.
The Cowboys have new hope this week. They started the season with a bumpy 3-5-1 record heading into their bye week, but they have recovered. They have won three consecutive games and they now trail the division-leading Philadelphia Eagles by only a game. They received a major win over the Eagles in Week 12, and it has their confidence on high.
But the Lions, at Ford Field on their home turf, have something to prove too. They opened the season well, winning six of their first eight games. But the quick beginning did not hold. They have dropped three of their last five games. Old days’ fans in Detroit are concerned, and the team realizes they need to halt this skid now before it’s too late. A victory over the Cowboys could get them back on the horse.
When and Where
Date: Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025
Time: 7:15 p.m. CT
Location: Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
A Game Full of Tough Matchups
This Cowboys-Lions meeting comes with a lot of questions. One of the most important is on defense. Detroit’s Aiden Hutchinson is one of the scariest young players in the league. He can pressure a quarterback, swing the momentum and ruin an offense if allowed to roam. The Cowboys are aware that to have any hope they must contain him.
But Dallas also has a big defensive threat of its own. Quinnen Williams has become the strudged of a defensive line that is stout, physical and getting better every week. His influence has reshaped the tenor of the Cowboys’ defense. Lions coach Dan Campbell and quarterback Jared Goff know what to expect. Goff is going to have to make fast decisions, enjoy solid protection and make sure not to do anything stupid.
Offensively for Dallas, the question is straightforward: Can Dak Prescott and his weapons match last year’s offensive outburst by Detroit? Cowboys have not forgotten that game, and they seek vengeance. Having postseason aspirations on the line, Prescott needs to play poised, in command and on target.
How to Watch, Listen and Follow
TV / Radio / Mobile Options
Watch:
Prime Video
Fox 4 DFW
Listen (National):
Compass Media: Jerry Recco (play-by-play), Steve Beuerlein (analyst)
Westwood One Radio: Kevin Kugler (play-by-play), Ross Tucker (analyst)
Listen (Local — Dallas/Fort Worth):
KRLD-FM 105.3 The Fan
Listen (Spanish):
KVMK-FM 107.5 La Grande
Follow on Mobile:
Dallas Cowboys App
Pregame Live Show
The official pregame show and armchair quarterback experience, the Dallas Cowboys Pre-Game Show will be streamed live from The Star in Frisco beginning at 6 p.m. CT Former players Isaiah Stanback, Barry Church and Nate Newton will join host Kyle Youmans along with a cast of other Cowboy’s. com personalities. They’ll analyze the matchup, share things to watch for, and make their predictions before the Cowboys-Lions kickoff.
Broadcast Crew
TV:
Al Michaels (play-by-play)
Kirk Herbstreit (analyst)
Kaylee Hartung (sideline)
Radio (English):
Brad Sham
Babe Laufenberg
Kristi Scales
Radio (Spanish):
Victor Villalba (play-by-play)
Luis Perez (analyst)
Tickets and Game Day Extras
Tickets are still available for the next home game at AT&T Stadium. Fans on both sides of the fence can take advantage of the chance to secure a seat at the high-stakes primetime game.
And for those hosting their own game day party, Spec’s — the Official Partner of the Dallas Cowboys — has a wide array of bevs and snacks and gourmet foods from which to choose. And because they are generally less expensive and offer more variety, you can make your pregame shopping easy and stress-free.
Final Thoughts
A rematch is more than Cowboys-Lions. It is a combat between two sides playing for their season. Both are hungry. Both are desperate. Each sense what this game means.
The Cowboys are out for vengeance and to inch closer to the playoffs. They don’t want their season to get away from them. With stars on each side and tough defenses, with playoff pressure in the air, that weekend showdown promises to be a frenetic, emotional slugfest.
Tune in Thursday night. This is a must-not-lose game.
