Cowboys 10–15 Lions: Score, Stats & Recap | Week 17, 2001

Quick answer

Winner: Detroit Lions
Final score: Detroit Lions 15–10 Dallas Cowboys
Halftime: Dallas Cowboys 7–6 Detroit Lions at halftime
FantasyHQ MVP: T. Detmer
Top passer: T. Detmer
Biggest EPA play: (:31) 14-T.Detmer to DAL 5 for -1 yards. Took a knee
Game date: 2002-01-06

Game summary

The Detroit Lions beat the Dallas Cowboys 15–10 on 2002-01-06, overcoming Dallas Cowboys's 7–6 halftime lead. T. Detmer posted a game-high +8.52 total EPA in the passing.

The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 13 combined points.

Line score

Final score and points by quarter.

	Q2	Q3	Q4	—	—	T
Dallas Cowboys	7	0	3	0	0	10
Detroit Lions	6	3	6	0	0	15

Scoring Map

Each pin marks where a score occurred on the field — yard line from play-by-play.

DALDallas Cowboys

DET 2

+1DET 2

DAL 20

+3DAL 29

+3DET 15

DAL 16

DETDetroit Lions

FantasyHQ Analytics

Scoring timeline

6 scores

Chronological scoring plays — scroll to follow the game.

DALDallas Cowboys
Q2 13:33TD
Elerson G. Smith
Points+6
Yard line
DET 2
Score
6-0
(13:33) 22-E.Smith left end for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
DALDallas Cowboys
Q2 13:28XP
JHJ. Hilbert
Points+1
Yard line
DET 2
Score
7-0
9-J.Hilbert extra point is GOOD, Center-45-M.Solwold, Holder-4-M.Knorr.
DETDetroit Lions
Q2 9:03TD
DSD. Sloan
Points+6
Yard line
DAL 20
Score
7-6
(9:03) 14-T.Detmer pass to 86-D.Sloan for 20 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Penalty on DAL-94-M.Myers, Neutral Zone Infraction, declined.
DETDetroit Lions
Q3 10:37FG
Jake Hanson
Points+3
Yard line
DAL 29
Score
7-9
(10:37) 4-J.Hanson 47 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-89-B.Banta, Holder-19-J.Jett.
DALDallas Cowboys
Q4 15:00FG
JHJ. Hilbert
Points+3
Yard line
DET 15
Score
10-9
(15:00) 9-J.Hilbert 33 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-45-M.Solwold, Holder-4-M.Knorr.
DETDetroit Lions
Q4 5:43TD
JMJ. Morton
Points+6
Yard line
DAL 16
Score
10-15
(5:43) 14-T.Detmer pass to 87-J.Morton for 16 yards, TOUCHDOWN. PENALTY on DAL-27-M.Edwards, Face Mask (15 Yards), 15 yards, enforced between downs.

Stars of the game

Top performers by total expected points added (EPA).

1T. Detmer · Detroit Lions · Passing · +8.52 total EPA · 44 snaps · +0.19 EPA/play
2J. Morton · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +2.72 total EPA · 14 snaps · +0.19 EPA/play
3B. Emanuel · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +2.47 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.82 EPA/play
4A. Cason · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +1.93 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.48 EPA/play
5Elerson G. Smith · Dallas Cowboys · Rushing · +1.64 total EPA · 18 snaps · +0.09 EPA/play
6Josh Harris · Dallas Cowboys · Receiving · +1.49 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.50 EPA/play
7S. Trejo · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +1.26 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.26 EPA/play
8D. Sloan · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +0.92 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.23 EPA/play

FantasyHQ Game MVP

Highest total EPA with the player's top snap and the game's biggest single play when different.

FantasyHQ Game MVP

T. Detmer — DET · Passing

T. Detmer posted the highest total EPA (+8.52) in the game, the strongest overall impact for Detroit Lions. Across 44 counted snaps, they averaged +0.19 EPA per play.

T. Detmer's top snap (-3.82 EPA): (:31) 14-T.Detmer to DAL 5 for -1 yards. Took a knee

Quarterback report card

T. Detmer led all passers in efficiency for Detroit Lions, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.

T. Detmer (Detroit Lions) · 44 dropbacks · 54.5% completion · +0.19 EPA/play · +8.52 total EPA
Q. Carter (Dallas Cowboys) · 29 dropbacks · 37.9% completion · -0.07 EPA/play · -2.03 total EPA

Team stats comparison

Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency.

Stat	Dallas Cowboys	Detroit Lions
Offensive EPA/play	-0.062	-0.012
Offensive success rate	31.5%	44.0%
Pass EPA/play	-0.070	+0.168
Rush EPA/play	+0.014	-0.244
Defensive EPA/play	+0.012	+0.062
Defensive success rate	56.0%	68.5%

Drive & efficiency notes

Both offenses finished within striking distance on EPA per play (Dallas Cowboys -0.06, Detroit Lions -0.01) — a true toss-up on the analytics sheet.

Season benchmark context (offensive EPA per play):

Dallas Cowboys: -0.06 EPA/play (37th percentile vs. 2001 team-game averages)
Detroit Lions: -0.01 EPA/play (49th percentile vs. 2001 team-game averages)

Dallas Cowboys: 11 drives, -4.52 total EPA, 2 scoring drives
Detroit Lions: 11 drives, -0.97 total EPA, 3 scoring drives

Who scored touchdowns and field goals

Every touchdown and field goal from official play-by-play.

Touchdowns

Dallas Cowboys — Elerson G. Smith (Q2 13:33)
Detroit Lions — D. Sloan (T. Detmer pass) (Q2 9:03)
Detroit Lions — J. Morton (T. Detmer pass) (Q4 5:43)

Field goals

Detroit Lions — Jake Hanson (Q3 10:37)
Dallas Cowboys — J. Hilbert (Q4 15:00)

Quarter by quarter

Quarter-by-quarter recap from live scoring plays.

The second quarter: Dallas Cowboys won the period 7–6. Dallas Cowboys found the end zone from the DET 2 (Q2 13:33) — (13:33) 22-E.Smith left end for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Dallas Cowboys added 1 points from the DET 2 (Q2 13:28) — 9-J.Hilbert extra point is GOOD, Center-45-M.Solwold, Holder-4-M.Knorr.; Detroit Lions found the end zone from the DAL 20 (Q2 9:03) — (9:03) 14-T.Detmer pass to 86-D.Sloan for 20 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Penalty on DAL-94-M.Myers, Neutral Zone Infraction, declined..

The third quarter: Detroit Lions won the period 3–0. Detroit Lions connected on a field goal from the DAL 29 (Q3 10:37) — (10:37) 4-J.Hanson 47 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-89-B.Banta, Holder-19-J.Jett..

The fourth quarter: Detroit Lions won the period 6–3. Dallas Cowboys connected on a field goal from the DET 15 (Q4 15:00) — (15:00) 9-J.Hilbert 33 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-45-M.Solwold, Holder-4-M.Knorr.; Detroit Lions found the end zone from the DAL 16 (Q4 5:43).

Turning points

Plays that moved win probability the most.

Dallas Cowboys (Q2 15:00) — (15:00) (Shotgun) 17-Q.Carter pass to 81-R.Ismail to DET 7 for 35 yards (32-B.Westbrook). [WPA +14.3% · EPA +3.63]
Detroit Lions (Q2 1:37) — (1:37) 4-J.Hanson 51 yard field goal is No Good, Hit Crossbar, Center-89-B.Banta, Holder-19-J.Jett. [WPA -13.6% · EPA -1.76]
Detroit Lions (Q4 14:09) — (14:09) 14-T.Detmer pass incomplete to 34-J.Stewart (52-D.Coakley). PENALTY on DAL-52-D.Coakley, Defensive Pass Interference, 44 yards, enforced at DET 17 - No Play. [WPA +11.1% · EPA +3.05]
Detroit Lions (Q4 5:43) — (5:43) 14-T.Detmer pass to 87-J.Morton for 16 yards, TOUCHDOWN. PENALTY on DAL-27-M.Edwards, Face Mask (15 Yards), 15 yards, enforced between downs. [WPA +10.0% · EPA +2.60]
Detroit Lions (Q1 3:31) — (3:31) 4-J.Hanson 51 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Left, Center-89-B.Banta, Holder-19-J.Jett. [WPA -9.6% · EPA -2.22]

Impact plays

Highest EPA snaps that flipped field position.

Detroit Lions (Q4 0:31) — (:31) 14-T.Detmer to DAL 5 for -1 yards. Took a knee [WPA +1.1% · EPA -3.82]
Dallas Cowboys (Q2 15:00) — (15:00) (Shotgun) 17-Q.Carter pass to 81-R.Ismail to DET 7 for 35 yards (32-B.Westbrook). [WPA +14.3% · EPA +3.63]
Detroit Lions (Q4 2:00) — (2:00) 34-J.Stewart left end to DAL 3 for 29 yards (98-G.Ellis). [WPA +3.0% · EPA +3.30]
Detroit Lions (Q2 9:03) — (9:03) 14-T.Detmer pass to 86-D.Sloan for 20 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Penalty on DAL-94-M.Myers, Neutral Zone Infraction, declined. [WPA +8.6% · EPA +3.17]

Every scoring play

Chronological scoring with play-by-play context.

Dallas Cowboys TD (+6) — Q2 13:33 · DET 2 · Score 6-0
(13:33) 22-E.Smith left end for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Dallas Cowboys XP (+1) — Q2 13:28 · DET 2 · Score 7-0
9-J.Hilbert extra point is GOOD, Center-45-M.Solwold, Holder-4-M.Knorr.
Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q2 9:03 · DAL 20 · Score 7-6
(9:03) 14-T.Detmer pass to 86-D.Sloan for 20 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Penalty on DAL-94-M.Myers, Neutral Zone Infraction, declined.
Detroit Lions FG (+3) — Q3 10:37 · DAL 29 · Score 7-9
(10:37) 4-J.Hanson 47 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-89-B.Banta, Holder-19-J.Jett.
Dallas Cowboys FG (+3) — Q4 15:00 · DET 15 · Score 10-9
(15:00) 9-J.Hilbert 33 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-45-M.Solwold, Holder-4-M.Knorr.
Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q4 5:43 · DAL 16 · Score 10-15
(5:43) 14-T.Detmer pass to 87-J.Morton for 16 yards, TOUCHDOWN. PENALTY on DAL-27-M.Edwards, Face Mask (15 Yards), 15 yards, enforced between downs.

Key takeaways

What to remember for fantasy research and follow-up box score digging.

Detroit Lions earned the result — use the box score for snap-level context.
One-score margin — verify garbage-time stats before drawing fantasy conclusions.
T. Detmer (Detroit Lions) led total EPA — start here for highlight and prop research.

Frequently asked questions

Who won Dallas Cowboys vs Detroit Lions on 2002-01-06?

The Detroit Lions beat the Dallas Cowboys 15-10 in Week 17, 2001.

What was the score by quarter in Dallas Cowboys vs Detroit Lions?

Q2: Dallas Cowboys 7, Detroit Lions 6; Q3: Dallas Cowboys 0, Detroit Lions 3; Q4: Dallas Cowboys 3, Detroit Lions 6; Final: Dallas Cowboys 10, Detroit Lions 15.

Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Dallas Cowboys vs Detroit Lions?

Dallas Cowboys touchdown — E. Smith (Q2 13:33) Detroit Lions touchdown — D. Sloan (T. Detmer pass) (Q2 9:03) Detroit Lions touchdown — J. Morton (T. Detmer pass) (Q4 5:43) Detroit Lions field goal — J. Hanson (Q3 10:37, 3 pts) Dallas Cowboys field goal — J. Hilbert (Q4 15:00, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.

How did the quarterbacks play in Dallas Cowboys vs Detroit Lions?

T. Detmer (Detroit Lions), 54.5% completion, +0.19 EPA per dropback, +8.52 total passing EPA. Q. Carter (Dallas Cowboys), 37.9% completion, -0.07 EPA per dropback, -2.03 total passing EPA.

Who was FantasyHQ's player of the game in Dallas Cowboys vs Detroit Lions?

T. Detmer (Detroit Lions) was FantasyHQ's Game MVP with +8.52 total EPA on Passing plays. across 44 snaps. Their top snap (-3.82 EPA): (:31) 14-T.Detmer to DAL 5 for -1 yards. Took a knee.

Was Dallas Cowboys vs Detroit Lions a close game?

Yes — the margin was 5 points. Detroit Lions won 15-10 in a game that stayed within one score into the fourth quarter.

Season records after this game

Dallas Cowboys

Entered 5-10 Now 5-11 L

Detroit Lions

Entered 1-14 Now 2-14 W

Dallas Cowboys vs. Detroit Lions: 2001 Week 17 Recap

Top fantasy performers · Cowboys

Top fantasy performers · Lions

Quick answer

Game summary