ARLINGTON, Texas – Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott got the Dallas offense going again, and spoiled Matthew Stafford's homecoming again.
Brett Maher kicked a 38-yard field goal as time expired, lifting the Cowboys to a 26-24 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
Maher's fourth field goal was set up by Prescott's 34-yard completion to Elliott, his star running back, on a deep throw after Stafford had put the Lions in front with 2 minutes, 17 seconds remaining on a 38-yard touchdown to Golden Tate, their second TD connection of the day.
"I would much rather be the guy with the ball last," Stafford said. "But I think all of our players on defense are probably sitting out there going, 'I want to be out there to make the stop.' That's just what we do."
Elliott had a career-high 240 all-purpose yards, with 152 yards rushing and 88 receiving also highlighted by a 38-yard TD on a screen in the second quarter.
The best offensive day of the season for the Cowboys (2-2) handed Stafford his third consecutive loss at AT&T Stadium. The former Dallas-area high school star threw for 307 yards. Trailing 20-10, Stafford led Detroit (1-3) 75 yards to rookie Kerryon Johnson's first career touchdown, an 8-yard run that started a back-and-fourth final quarter.
After the Cowboys settled for Maher's third field goal on an 85-yard drive, Stafford found Tate for 35 yards into Dallas territory before Tate easily beat zone coverage down the sideline and strutted toward the end zone, just as he had on a 45-yard score in the first quarter.
But Prescott had an answer while throwing for at least 200 yards for the first time this season. The Dallas quarterback saved the final drive by picking up a fumble when he was hit on the arm and scrambling before throwing the ball out of bounds.
