Game story
In Week 17 of the 2023 NFL season on 2023-12-30, the Dallas Cowboys took care of business against the Detroit Lions, pulling away with a 20–19 final that came down to the wire.
The highest-scoring period was Q4 with 22 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
D. Prescott (Dallas Cowboys) paced the passing game, with +5.96 total EPA, and +4.5% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, A.St. Brown (Detroit Lions) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +6.92 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (+25.3% win probability) landed in the opening quarter when Dallas Cowboys changed the game: (3:40) (Shotgun) 4-D.Prescott pass deep right to 88-C.Lamb for 92 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q3 | Q4 | — | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions | 3 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 7 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 A.St. Brown · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +6.92 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.87 EPA/play
- 2 D. Prescott · Dallas Cowboys · Passing · +5.96 total EPA · 43 snaps · +0.14 EPA/play
- 3 C. Lamb · Dallas Cowboys · Receiving · +4.99 total EPA · 17 snaps · +0.29 EPA/play
- 4 J. Reeves-Maybin · Detroit Lions · Passing · +4.14 total EPA · 1 snaps · +4.14 EPA/play
- 5 K. Dorsey · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +4.14 total EPA · 1 snaps · +4.14 EPA/play
- 6 J. Williams · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +3.65 total EPA · 3 snaps · +1.22 EPA/play
- 7 B. Cooks · Dallas Cowboys · Receiving · +3.56 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.45 EPA/play
- 8 K. Raymond · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +2.15 total EPA · 1 snaps · +2.15 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
A.St. Brown — DET · Receiving
A.St. Brown posted the highest total EPA (+6.92) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Detroit Lions's efficiency. Across 8 counted snaps, they averaged +0.87 EPA per play.
The signature play (+8.88 EPA) came from Dallas Cowboys: (3:40) (Shotgun) 4-D.Prescott pass deep right to 88-C.Lamb for 92 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Dallas Cowboys — C. Lamb (D. Prescott pass)
- Detroit Lions — D. Montgomery
- Dallas Cowboys — B. Cooks (D. Prescott pass)
- Detroit Lions — A. St (J. Goff pass)
Field goals
- Detroit Lions — M. Badgley
- Dallas Cowboys — B. Aubrey
- Detroit Lions — M. Badgley
- Dallas Cowboys — B. Aubrey
- Dallas Cowboys — B. Aubrey
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: Dallas Cowboys won the period 7–3. Detroit Lions connected on a field goal from the DAL 23 (Q1 55:50) — (10:50) 17-M.Badgley 41 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox.; Dallas Cowboys found the end zone from the DET 92 (Q1 48:40) — (3:40) (Shotgun) 4-D.Prescott pass deep right to 88-C.Lamb for 92 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Dallas Cowboys added 1 points from the DET 15 (Q1 48:26) — 17-B.Aubrey extra point is GOOD, Center-44-T.Sieg, Holder-5-B.Anger..
The third quarter: Detroit Lions won the period 7–3. Detroit Lions found the end zone from the DAL 3 (Q3 19:38) — (4:38) 5-D.Montgomery left guard for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions added 1 points from the DAL 15 (Q3 19:34) — 17-M.Badgley extra point is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox.; Dallas Cowboys connected on a field goal from the DET 33 (Q3 15:27) — (:27) 17-B.Aubrey 51 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-44-T.Sieg, Holder-5-B.Anger..
The fourth quarter: Dallas Cowboys won the period 13–9. Detroit Lions connected on a field goal from the DAL 12 (Q4 12:21) — (12:21) 17-M.Badgley 30 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox.; Dallas Cowboys found the end zone from the DET 8 (Q4 7:25) — (7:25) (Shotgun) 4-D.Prescott pass short right to 3-B.Cooks for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Dallas Cowboys added 1 points from the DET 15 (Q4 7:20) — 17-B.Aubrey extra point is GOOD, Center-44-T.Sieg, Holder-5-B.Anger.; Dallas Cowboys connected on a field goal from the DET 25 (Q4 1:45) — (1:45) 17-B.Aubrey 43 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-44-T.Sieg, Holder-5-B.Anger.; Dallas Cowboys connected on a field goal from the DAL 35 (Q4 1:41) — 17-B.Aubrey kicks 65 yards from DAL 35 to end zone, Touchback.; Detroit Lions found the end zone from the DAL 11 (Q4 0:27) — (:27) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass short right to 14-A.St. Brown for 11 yards, TOUCHDOWN..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Dallas Cowboys (Q1 48:40) — (3:40) (Shotgun) 4-D.Prescott pass deep right to 88-C.Lamb for 92 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Detroit Lions (Q4 0:23) — TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 16-J.Goff pass to 82-J.Mitchell is incomplete. ATTEMPT FAILS.
- Detroit Lions (Q4 14:21) — (14:21) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass deep middle to 9-J.Williams to DAL 14 for 63 yards (26-D.Bland) [11-M.Parsons].
- Detroit Lions (Q4 2:11) — (2:11) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass short left intended for 87-S.LaPorta INTERCEPTED by 6-D.Wilson at DET 29. 6-D.Wilson to DET 29 for no gain (87-S.LaPorta).
- Detroit Lions (Q4 0:27) — (:27) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass short right to 14-A.St. Brown for 11 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Dallas Cowboys (Q1 48:40) — (3:40) (Shotgun) 4-D.Prescott pass deep right to 88-C.Lamb for 92 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Dallas Cowboys (Q2 40:43) — (10:43) 4-D.Prescott pass short right to 88-C.Lamb to DET 1 for 4 yards (29-K.Vildor). FUMBLES (29-K.Vildor), ball out of bounds in End Zone, Touchback.
- Detroit Lions (Q2 44:10) — (14:10) 16-J.Goff pass short left intended for 5-D.Montgomery INTERCEPTED by 2-J.Lewis at DAL 46. 2-J.Lewis to DAL 46 for no gain (5-D.Montgomery).
- Dallas Cowboys (Q1 53:10) — (8:10) (Shotgun) 4-D.Prescott pass short right intended for 88-C.Lamb INTERCEPTED by 6-I.Melifonwu at DET 19. 6-I.Melifonwu to DET 43 for 24 yards (88-C.Lamb).
Quarterback report card
D.Prescott led all passers in efficiency for Dallas Cowboys, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- D.Prescott (Dallas Cowboys) · 43 dropbacks · 60.5% completion · +4.5% CPOE · +0.14 EPA/play · +5.96 total EPA
- J.Goff (Detroit Lions) · 35 dropbacks · 54.3% completion · -7.1% CPOE · -0.04 EPA/play · -1.57 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Detroit Lions | Dallas Cowboys |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.049 | -0.044 |
| Offensive success rate | 38.8% | 43.9% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.071 | +0.139 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.177 | -0.375 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.044 | +0.049 |
| Defensive success rate | 56.1% | 61.2% |
By the numbers
Both offenses finished within striking distance on EPA per play (Detroit Lions -0.05, Dallas Cowboys -0.04) — a true toss-up on the analytics sheet.
- Dallas Cowboys: 12 drives, -3.64 total EPA, 4 scoring drives
- Detroit Lions: 11 drives, -4.15 total EPA, 4 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Dallas Cowboys leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- A.St. Brown (Detroit Lions) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- D. Prescott (DAL) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
- J. Goff (DET) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Detroit Lions FG (+3) — Q1 55:50 · DAL 23 · Score 3-0
(10:50) 17-M.Badgley 41 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox. - Dallas Cowboys TD (+6) — Q1 48:40 · DET 92 · Score 3-6
(3:40) (Shotgun) 4-D.Prescott pass deep right to 88-C.Lamb for 92 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Dallas Cowboys XP (+1) — Q1 48:26 · DET 15 · Score 3-7
17-B.Aubrey extra point is GOOD, Center-44-T.Sieg, Holder-5-B.Anger. - Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q3 19:38 · DAL 3 · Score 9-7
(4:38) 5-D.Montgomery left guard for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q3 19:34 · DAL 15 · Score 10-7
17-M.Badgley extra point is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox. - Dallas Cowboys FG (+3) — Q3 15:27 · DET 33 · Score 10-10
(:27) 17-B.Aubrey 51 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-44-T.Sieg, Holder-5-B.Anger. - Detroit Lions FG (+3) — Q4 12:21 · DAL 12 · Score 13-10
(12:21) 17-M.Badgley 30 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox. - Dallas Cowboys TD (+6) — Q4 7:25 · DET 8 · Score 13-16
(7:25) (Shotgun) 4-D.Prescott pass short right to 3-B.Cooks for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Dallas Cowboys XP (+1) — Q4 7:20 · DET 15 · Score 13-17
17-B.Aubrey extra point is GOOD, Center-44-T.Sieg, Holder-5-B.Anger. - Dallas Cowboys FG (+3) — Q4 1:45 · DET 25 · Score 13-20
(1:45) 17-B.Aubrey 43 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-44-T.Sieg, Holder-5-B.Anger. - Dallas Cowboys FG (+3) — Q4 1:41 · DAL 35 · Score 13-20
17-B.Aubrey kicks 65 yards from DAL 35 to end zone, Touchback. - Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q4 0:27 · DAL 11 · Score 19-20
(:27) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass short right to 14-A.St. Brown for 11 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Detroit Lions vs Dallas Cowboys?
The Dallas Cowboys beat the Detroit Lions 20-19 in Week 17, 2023 on 2023-12-30.
What was the final score of Detroit Lions vs Dallas Cowboys?
The final score was Detroit Lions 19, Dallas Cowboys 20 (DET 19-20 DAL) in Week 17, 2023 on 2023-12-30.
What was the score by quarter in Detroit Lions vs Dallas Cowboys?
Q1: Detroit Lions 3, Dallas Cowboys 7; Q3: Detroit Lions 7, Dallas Cowboys 3; Q4: Detroit Lions 9, Dallas Cowboys 13; Final: Detroit Lions 19, Dallas Cowboys 20.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Detroit Lions vs Dallas Cowboys?
Dallas Cowboys touchdown — C. Lamb (D. Prescott pass) (Q1 48:40) Detroit Lions touchdown — D. Montgomery (Q3 19:38) Dallas Cowboys touchdown — B. Cooks (D. Prescott pass) (Q4 7:25) Detroit Lions touchdown — A. St (J. Goff pass) (Q4 0:27) Detroit Lions field goal — M. Badgley (Q1 55:50, 3 pts) Dallas Cowboys field goal — B. Aubrey (Q3 15:27, 3 pts) Detroit Lions field goal — M. Badgley (Q4 12:21, 3 pts) Dallas Cowboys field goal — B. Aubrey (Q4 1:45, 3 pts) Dallas Cowboys field goal — B. Aubrey (Q4 1:41, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Detroit Lions vs Dallas Cowboys?
D. Prescott (Dallas Cowboys), 60.5% completion, +4.5% CPOE, +0.14 EPA per dropback, +5.96 total passing EPA. J. Goff (Detroit Lions), 54.3% completion, -7.1% CPOE, -0.04 EPA per dropback, -1.57 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Detroit Lions vs Dallas Cowboys?
A.St. Brown (Detroit Lions) led the game in total EPA with +6.92 on receiving plays. across 8 snaps. The top single-play swing was (+8.88 EPA): (3:40) (Shotgun) 4-D.Prescott pass deep right to 88-C.Lamb for 92 yards, TOUCHDOWN.. The biggest win-probability swing was +25.3%.
Was Detroit Lions vs Dallas Cowboys a close game?
Yes — the margin was 1 points. Dallas Cowboys won 20-19 in a game that came down to the wire.
Season records after this game
Detroit Lions
Entered 11-4 Now 11-5 L
Dallas Cowboys
Entered 10-5 Now 11-5 W
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