AT&T Stadium – Arlington, TX
Kickoff: Monday, 8:30 p.m. ET
Line: Dallas -7, Total: 44.5

The Lions face tough competition in Dallas as they look to hold their lead in the NFC North.

The Lions lost for the first time in six weeks—and only the second time since early October—last Sunday, falling to a strong Giants team on the road, 17-6 (NYG -4). The Lions weren’t completed stifled on offense—they actually outgained New York 324 yards to 300—but two turnovers hampered their ability to put points on the board. As a team, they rushed only 19 times for 54 yards, a large drop-off from their already mediocre 98.9 rushing yards per game (22nd in NFL). Despite the loss, the Lions remain atop the NFC North with a 9-5 record (7-6-1 ATS), although surging division rival Green Bay lurks only one game behind at 8-6. Detroit is vulnerable, though, with a matchup against those very same Packers in Week 17 and a Monday night game against the 12-2 Dallas Cowboys (9-5 ATS) in this one. Coming off only their second loss of the season to the Giants in Week 14, Dallas bounced back last week with an exciting 26-20 win over Tampa Bay on Sunday night (TB +6.5). Dallas surrendered two third quarter touchdowns to give up an 11-point halftime lead, but three fourth quarter field goals from Dan Bailey gave the Cowboys the win. In the last 10 seasons, favorites that have won three of their last four (DAL) are 29-7 ATS against teams that have won eight of their last 10. On the other hand, in the same time frame, underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points that caused no more than one turnover in their last game are (DET) 27-6 ATS against teams that have forced at least three turnovers in each of their last two games. LB Justin Durant and S J.J. Wilcox are questionable for Dallas, while CB Darius Slay and C Travis Swanson are questionable for Detroit.

The Lions have gotten the type of season out of QB Matthew Stafford (66.3 CMP%, 3,720 yards, 22 TDs, 8 INTs) that they have hoped for—without the presence of his long-time go to wideout Calvin Johnson, no less. He is seventh in the NFL in receiving yards, 10th in completion percentage, and 11th in passer rating (95.8). In his past two games, Stafford has played under the standards he has set for himself this season, completing 60.8% of his passes for 248 yards per game (266 season average), and he threw three of his eight picks this season in that span. Immediately prior to those two, though, he had one of his best games of the season, completing 30 of 42 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-13 win over the Saints. He is on pace to throw nine interceptions, significantly down from his previous career low of 12 two seasons ago. With Johnson retired, Detroit signed WR Marvin Jones (49 catches, 838 yards, 4 TDs) to help fill maybe a third of his shoes. Jones got off to a hot start to the year with at least 85 yards (and as many as 205) in each of his first three games, but he hasn’t had an 85-plus-yard game since Oct. 23. WR Golden Tate (79 catches, 942 yards, 3 TDs) has at least 30 catches more than anyone else on the team, and TE Eric Ebron (47 catches, 557 yards, TD) and veteran WR Anquan Boldin (58 catches, 494 yards, 7 TDs) have been key in the passing game, too. RB Theo Riddick (92 carries, 357 yards, TD; 53 catches, 371 yards, 5 TDs) is a Darren Sproles-like receiving back, but he leads the team in carries since starting RB Ameer Abdullah was lost to injury almost as soon as the season began. The Lions’ defense is 14th in the NFL with 346.6 yards allowed per game. Slay leads the team with 13 passes defended.

The Cowboys have gotten an incredibly good rookie year out of their fourth-round pick, QB Dak Prescott (67.7 CMP%, 3,418 yards, 20 TDs, 4 INTs). While media outlets can’t help but try to churn up a quarterback controversy in Dallas between Prescott and veteran Tony Romo, even Jerry Jones hasn’t fallen for it—Prescott’s resume this season has been unassailable. He’s fourth in the league in completion percentage and yards per attempt (7.93), and third with a passer rating of 103.2. Of all the quarterbacks in the league who have thrown at least 15 touchdown passes, only Prescott and Tom Brady have thrown no more than four interceptions, and only one other player in that group has thrown fewer than seven. He was historically accurate against the Buccaneers last week, completing 32 of 36 passes for 279 yards. It was the second-highest completion percentage (88.9%) in NFL history for quarterbacks who have thrown at least 30 passes in a game. But, as we all know, Dak is not the only breakout rookie on his team. The other, RB Ezekiel Elliott (310 carries, 1,550 yards, 13 TDs; 31 catches, 351 yards, TD) might win the league’s MVP award. (He would be the first rookie to do it since Eric Dickerson in 1983.) He leads the NFL in rushing by more than 300 yards, and he is tied for second in rushing touchdowns. He set his career high last week with 159 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. In the passing game, Prescott has four 500-yard receivers in WR Cole Beasley (68 catches, 759 yards, 5 TDs), WR Dez Bryant (46 catches, 726 yards, 6 TDs), TE Jason Witten (66 catches, 630 yards, 2 TDs) and WR Terrance Williams (37 catches, 500 yards, 3 TDs). Bryant had a season-high eight catches for 86 yards against Tampa Bay. The Dallas defense is 13th in the league with 345.6 yards allowed per game. LB Sean Lee is second in the league with 140 total tackles.