Week 14 gave the Cowboys a chance to prove they were playoff worthy, but they wilted in every big moment in the loss to the Lions.

Brian Branch's injury could be another huge blow for a Lions secondary that already lost Terrion Arnold for the season and is without Kerby Joseph

The Detroit Lions are right back in the thick of things in the NFC playoff picture, and the Dallas Cowboys are hanging on by a thread. Jahmyr Gibbs scored three touchdowns, Jared Goff threw for 309 yards and a touchdown, and the Detroit defense forced three turnovers in a crucial 44-30 win.

Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch tore his left Achilles tendon against the Dallas Cowboys, according to a person familiar with the situation.

For the game, Pro Football Focus gave the Lions a 77.8 defensive grade, the highest since that win over Tampa Bay in Week 7. The team was led by veteran backup safety Avonte Maddox, who stepped up to play 80 snaps for the Lions and earned a 90.3 defensive grade — the second-highest of his eight-year career.

If not for kicker Brandon Aubrey, the Dallas Cowboys' 44-30 loss to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Thursday night would have looked even uglier than it was. Aubrey finished the game 5 of 5 on field goals and made his only extra point attempt.

This was a well-rounded game for the Lions, with huge plays coming from the offense, defense, and special teams units. Jared Goff threw for over 300 yards, the Lions won the turnover battle with two interceptions and a fumble recovery,

After the Dallas Cowboys’ defeat to the Detroit Lions on Thursday night, the postseason is now back to being just a hope.