National Football League

5 plays the Dallas Cowboys overcame to beat the Detroit Lions

Published Jan. 4, 2015 8:48 p.m. ET

James Parziale

The Dallas Cowboys seemed to win in spite of themselves on Sunday. They railed to beat the Lions, 24-20, with what some would say was help from the refs.

Here are five plays the Cowboys needed to overcome to not pull, well, a Cowboys.

Running into the punter

With the Lions set to give the ball back to Dallas, Dekoda Watson ran into Detroit punter Sam Martin. Lions coach Jim Caldwell argued for the penalty, which gave the Lions a first down and second life to what ended up being a 99-yard touchdown drive to put the Lions up 14-0.

Dan Bailey missed FG

The Cowboys picked off Matthew Stafford on the first play of the second half, seizing the momentum from the Lions. But the drive stalled out -- including Tony Romo taking a bad sack on third-and-1 -- and kicker Dan Bailey missed a 41-yard field goal.

Golden Tate TD

After blowing up Tate on the punt return to start this drive, the Cowboys defense lets him basically go untouched to the end zone on this 51-yard catch and scamper for a score.

Tony Romo sacks

Romo was sacked six times, but like the sack that pushed the Cowboys back before Bailey's missed field goal, this sack cost them momentum on a drive that ended in a field goal to make it 20-17.

DeMarcus Lawrence's bonehead mistake

This was it. Matthew Stafford fumbled after getting hit with just more than two minutes left in the game, and Lawrence recovered. But instead of falling on the ball, Lawrence tried to run with it. Howevever, he got hit and the ball popped loose. Riley Reiff fell on it to give the Lions a first down because of the change of possession.