Anticipation is high as we delve into our bold predictions for the Detroit Lions' Week 17 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. The Lions have showcased an impressive performance throughout the 2023 NFL season, boasting an 11-4 record and clinching a pivotal Week 16 victory against the Minnesota Vikings. Now, let's dive into some bold predictions for the Lions in their upcoming game against the Cowboys.

Week 16 Win

The Lions have had a remarkable season. Right now, their 11-4 record places them at the top of the NFC North. In Week 16, they secured a crucial win against the Minnesota Vikings, with a final score of 30-24. The Lions' offense was led by quarterback Jared Goff. He threw for 296 yards and two touchdowns. The defense also played a significant role in the victory, with linebacker Jamie Collins Sr. intercepting a pass and returning it for a touchdown. The Lions' success this season can be attributed to their strong team chemistry and the leadership of head coach Dan Campbell.

Even after their NFC North title, Jared Goff isn't ready for the Lions season to end

Keep in mind that the Lions are NFC North champions for the first time ever and will try to improve their playoff seeding in a road game against the Cowboys. Of course, the latter are jostling for the ideal postseason berth as well.

The Lions wrapped up the division crown last week. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery combined for three rushing touchdowns and the Detroit defense intercepted Nick Mullens four times. It was their first win in Minnesota since 2017.

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Here are our bold predictions for the Detroit Lions as they face the Dallas Cowboys in the Week 17 matchup of the 2023 NFL season.

Goff Does Well

Jared Goff completed 30 of 40 pass attempts for 257 yards with one touchdown during Sunday's win over the Vikings. He handled Minnesota's blitz-heavy defense without many problems. As such, Goff completed 75 percent of his passes and could have had a much bigger game had Detroit not pounded in three touchdowns via rushing plays. Nonetheless, Goff has helped Detroit secure a division title for the first time in 30 years. The Lions now aim to fight for playoff positioning starting with an important Week 17 showdown against Dallas. In this game, we feel Goff doing well again, though he won't reach 250 yards. We have him going 200-plus yards with one touchdown.

David Montgomery

David Montgomery rushed 17 times for 55 yards and a touchdown and caught both his targets for 14 yards in Week 16. Montgomery logged eight carries on Detroit's first offensive drive. They ended the 14-play march with a one-yard touchdown run. Jahmyr Gibbs largely took over in the Lions' backfield from there and finished with the better overall rushing line (15-80-2). However, the potent duo ended with an equal number of total touches (19). Gibbs has proven to be an explosive force for Detroit in his rookie campaign. He has even gained at least 60 yards on the ground in four straight contests while scoring five times over that span. However, Montgomery hasn't exactly faded away. He is averaging 65.5 rushing yards with two TDs over the same four-game span. Sure, a split backfield isn't typically an ideal situation for fantasy football purposes. That said, both Montgomery and Gibbs are performing well enough to be viable options in all formats. Montgomery would reach 75 years on the ground here.

Amon-Ra St. Brown

Amon-Ra St. Brown secured 12 of 14 targets for 106 yards and one touchdown against the Vikings. Minnesota had no answer for St. Brown with the division title on the line. St. Brown continued to pile on the stats after already setting career highs in receiving yards (1,175) and touchdowns (seven) last week against Denver. He just had his way with a burnable Vikings secondary over the middle of the field while also finding success working the sidelines and on a screen. With few receivers league-wide handling bigger roles on offense, St. Brown should again stay busy when Detroit travels to Dallas in Week 17. St. Brown should go for more than 90 yards this week.

Tight Loss

This NFC battle is one of the games of the week. The Cowboys are 7-0 at home and 3-5 on the road. Luckily for the Cowboys, this one is in the comfortable environment of AT&T Stadium. The Lions have scored 72 combined points in two weeks. This one might be a high-scoring affair, but the Cowboys have a better defense. The Cowboys have a lot of factors going for them. They had a real chance of winning on the road with a historic day from CeeDee Lamb last week. Now, they are back home, where they are undefeated. The Lions have their division title wrapped up and will struggle to get things going against this fierce Dallas defense. Still, the Lions should keep it close.

Looking Ahead

The Detroit Lions have had a remarkable 2023 NFL season, with a strong chance of making the playoffs. Their Week 17 game against the Dallas Cowboys will be a crucial test of their abilities. With a dominant defensive performance and a career-best game from Amon-Ra St. Brown, a convincing victory could be within reach. The Lions will look to further solidify their place in the playoffs and continue their success in the postseason. We are excited to see how the Lions perform in this game and throughout the upcoming playoffs.