ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) _ Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions aren’t quite in win-or-go-home mode like the last time they visited his hometown Dallas Cowboys for a wild-card playoff two years ago.
The Lions could do their postseason hopes a lot of good Monday night with a victory, though. That includes scenarios where Detroit (9-5) clinches the NFC North by beating the conference-leading Cowboys, who were the first team to lock up a playoff berth this season.
It’s the second straight week Detroit can take a significant step toward the playoffs on the road against an NFC East contender. The Lions didn’t take advantage in a 17-6 loss to the New York Giants.
Tony Romo made the crucial play to rally the Cowboys past the Lions 24-20 two years ago for just their second playoff win in two decades since their last Super Bowl title. He’s the backup now, replaced by Dak Prescott because the rookie led an 11-game winning streak while Romo was recovering from a preseason back injury.
The streak ended with Dallas’ second loss of the season to the Giants, but Prescott and the Cowboys (12-2) recovered by beating Tampa Bay.
Then the Cowboys clinched the NFC East title and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs when the Giants lost to Philadelphia on Thursday night.
The Giants-Eagles outcome didn’t concern Prescott, who followed his worst game as a pro against New York with the second-best completion percentage with at least 30 attempts in NFL history (88.9 percent).
Stafford will be playing on the same field a little more than a week after his high school, Dallas Highland Park, won its first state championship since Stafford won a title with the Scots in 2005.