David Montgomery needed just one crease. The Dallas Cowboys gave him a runway. Late in the second quarter at Ford Field, Detroit Lions running back Montgomery ripped off a 35-yard touchdown run right up the gut, blowing past the second level and dragging Detroit into a 17-6 lead over the Dallas Cowboys before halftime. 

The drive started in plus territory after Detroit’s defense punched the ball out of Jake Ferguson, and safety Brian Branch fell on it near midfield. A few snaps later, Jared Goff and Jameson Williams connected on a deep shot to set up the Lions at the Dallas 35. Then Detroit went back to its identity, downhill, physical, no frills. Out of the shotgun, Montgomery took the handoff, knifed through a crease off center, and was gone, breaking tackles until he crossed the goal line. 

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By that point, the Detroit Lions’ backfield was already in full control of the night. Jahmyr Gibbs had opened the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown plunge in the first quarter, and the two backs combined for 62 rushing yards and two scores on just six carries early on, with Montgomery at 37 yards and Gibbs at 18 via the ESPN Box Score.

It was not just a big play. It was a historic one. According to Sports Illustrated, that Montgomery run and Gibbs’ earlier score gave the duo their 15th game with each recording a touchdown as teammates, the most by any running back tandem in the Super Bowl era. They passed the famed Dallas combo of Emmitt Smith and Daryl Johnston to grab that record, fittingly, against the Cowboys. 

Dak Prescott and the Dallas offense had moved the ball in spurts, with CeeDee Lamb hitting chunk plays in the passing game and Brandon Aubrey drilling a pair of field goals. But every Cowboys mistake seemed to turn into gasoline for the Lions.