Lions vs. Cowboys: All you need to know for playoff game

Fast facts

When: 4:40 p.m. Sunday.

Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas.

TV/radio: Fox (Channel 2 in Detroit), WXYT-FM (97.1).

Line: Cowboys by 61/ 2 .

Injuries

Lions

• OUT: G Larry Warford (knee).

• DOUBTFUL: DT Nick Fairley (knee).

• PROBABLE: DE Ezekiel Ansah (toe), WR Calvin Johnson (ankle), DE Darryl Tapp (not injury related).

Cowboys

• DOUBTFUL: T Doug Free (ankle).

• QUESTIONABLE: DE Tyrone Crawford (illness), LB Anthony Hitchens (ankle).

• PROBABLE: DT Josh Brent (calf), LB Bruce Carter (knee), DT Nick Hayden (shoulder), S Jeff Heath (thumb), G Zack Martin (ankle), LB Rolando McClain (knee, illness), RB DeMarco Murray (hand), QB Tony Romo (back), S C.J. Spillman (groin), LB Dekoda Watson (hamstring).

Know the foe: Dallas Cowboys (12-4)

Coach: Jason Garrett (36-28 overall, 36-28 with Dallas).

Key players: QB Tony Romo, RB DeMarco Murray, WR Dez Bryant, CB Orlando Scandrick.

Last game: Beat Washington, 44-17.

Last meeting: 2013: Lions 31, Cowboys 30.

The buzz: Lions coach Jim Caldwell said the Cowboys have the most complete offense he has seen this season, and it's easy to see why. Murray led the NFL with 1,845 yards rushing, and Romo has played the best football of his career battling back and rib injuries.

Talking points

Free Press sports writer Dave Birkett discusses three story lines from today's playoff game between the Lions and the Cowboys.

Playoff share: The Lions are in the playoffs for the first time since 2011, and there's optimism they match up well enough with the Cowboys that they could win a postseason game for the first time in 23 years.

History is working against the Lions, of course. They've lost seven straight playoff games overall and are 0-4 on the road against teams that made the postseason this year. But they did beat the Cowboys last time these teams met in the playoffs, in 1991, and coach Jim Caldwell has done a brilliant job instilling belief in his team.

"T.S. Eliot said I think in one statement, I'll paraphrase it a little bit, but the statement he made is that tradition is not inherited, that it's gained through hard work and labor," Caldwell said. "And I think our guys understand that aspect of it. I think that's why they work so hard. It's been, for them, a real task, but yet obviously we haven't reached our ultimate goal. We're one of 12 teams that yet have an opportunity to prove that you're the best in our league, and I think that's something obviously that we've been shooting for."

Singles night: Calvin Johnson had the best day of his career — and the second-best receiving day in NFL history — last year against the Cowboys. Johnson caught 14 passes for 329 yards and one touchdown, and turned Flint native and Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr's homecoming into a somber affair. Johnson scored two touchdowns against the Cowboys in 2011, too, but Dallas defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli — Johnson's former coach with the Lions — made it clear Carr won't go it alone against Megatron today. "When you get that single coverage, we have to take advantage of those opportunities," Johnson said. "That's what we've done in the past and, if we have more of the same, then that's what we have to do."

Trench warfare: The Cowboys have the best offensive line in the NFL, with three All-Pros including rookie right guard Zack Martin. The Lions have one of the league's best defensive lines, and the most disruptive tackle in the game in Ndamukong Suh. Suh was fortunate to avoid a suspension this week, but he'll be on the field and matched up plenty with Martin today. With the Cowboys determined to get DeMarco Murray going and the Lions intent on making Dallas one-dimensional, that war in the trenches will be one to watch. "It's going to be a good matchup," Caldwell said. "I think in both categories if you look at the numbers, they'll tell you that they run the ball obviously as well as anybody in the league. You look at statistically for us, we're right up there in the top of the rankings just in terms of stopping the run. All in all, I think it's going to be a real good battle."

Scouting report

Lions' run offense vs. Cowboys' run defense

The Lions have topped 100 yards rushing in three of their past four games and finally appear to be finding a rhythm with Joique Bell and Reggie Bush.

Bell is averaging 4.5 yards per carry the past five weeks, and his size could be an issue for the Cowboys' small, shorthanded defensive front. Bush hasn't been quite as effective as a runner or receiver. He has topped 50 yards from scrimmage once in four games since returning from an ankle injury, but the Cowboys have struggled at times giving up big running plays.

Rolando McClain has revived his career at middle linebacker in Dallas, and he might be the Cowboys' best run defender. Dallas doesn't have much up front, especially after placing defensive tackle Henry Melton on injured reserve this past week, but the Cowboys' fast, swarming defense still ranks eighth in the NFL against the run at 103.1 yards per game.

Edge: Cowboys.

Lions' pass offense vs. Cowboys' pass defense

Matthew Stafford had one of the best games of his career against the Cowboys last year when he passed for 488 yards and scored the winning touchdown with 12 seconds left. Neither Stafford nor the Lions have had many big days like that this season, but the potential is always there.

Calvin Johnson is still as dangerous as any receiver in the league, though new Cowboys defensive coordinator (and former Lions coach) Rod Marinelli said Johnson won't see as much one-on-one coverage as he did in his 329-yard day last season. Golden Tate has been pretty quiet the past month, but he's as good as anyone in getting yards after the catch.

Brandon Carr covered Johnson most of last season, but Orlando Scandrick has been the Cowboys' best cornerback this season. Dallas needs to get pressure on Stafford against a beat-up offensive line, and right end Jeremy Mincey and tackle Tyrone Crawford are the best bets to do so.

Edge: Lions.

Cowboys' run offense vs. Lions' run defense

The Cowboys lean heavily on DeMarco Murray on offense. Murray led the NFL with 1,845 yards rushing, and he proved he can be a workhorse with 392 carries, 80 more than anyone else in the league.

Murray is playing with a broken left hand, but he has the best offensive line in the NFL. The Cowboys had three linemen — left tackle Tyron Smith, rookie guard Zack Martin and center Travis Frederick — make first- or second-team All-Pro.

This is a classic strength-on-strength matchup — the Lions rank No. 1 in the NFL in rush defense at 69.3 yards per game. Ndamukong Suh narrowly avoided a suspension today, and the Lions need big games out of him and DeAndre Levy. The NFL rushing champ has faced the league's top run defense four previous times in the postseason, and defense has won three of the previous meetings.

Edge: Lions.

Cowboys' pass offense vs. Lions' pass defense

Murray has drawn plenty of attention, but he's hardly the Cowboys' only weapon.

Tony Romo, right, is having an MVP-type season at quarterback

despite battling rib and back injuries for much of the season. He has passed for 3,705 yards and 34 touchdowns with nine interceptions, and Murray's presence means teams can't gang up to stop the pass. The physical Dez Bryant led the NFL with 16 touchdown catches, and tight end Jason Witten still is one of the best in the business.

The Lions won't be able to sit in a nickel package all day because of Murray, and they might have to show more variety than usual up front because of Dallas' offensive line. Safety James Ihedigbo was benched for part of the second half last week after he blew a handful of assignments, but he and Glover Quin (seven interceptions) will be key to preventing the big play today.

Edge: Cowboys.

Special teams

The Lions have had some brutal special-teams mistakes the past two weeks, muffing punts, allowing touchdowns and picking up careless penalties. They can't afford to be sloppy today. Playing inside should help punter Sam Martin return to form, and Matt Prater has solidified the kicking game in the past month. Golden Tate has lobbied for duty on punt returns, but all signs point to Jeremy Ross holding that job.

The Cowboys aren't spectacular on special teams, but they don't do much to hurt themselves, and that's key in the playoffs. Dwayne Harris is one of the best all-around special-teams players in the NFL. He's good as a kick returner and on coverage. Chris Jones has had one punt blocked, and kicker Dan Bailey has made five kicks of at least 50 yards.

Edge: Cowboys.

Overall

The Lions are in the postseason for the first time since 2011, and the fact that they're 0-4 on the road against playoff teams this season has done nothing to drain their confidence. Players seemed loose in the locker room this week, and several said they had some of their best practices of the season.

The Lions must stop Murray and make the Cowboys' one-dimensional on offense. Dallas is explosive on that side of the ball, so it's imperative the Lions, who have struggled to score, don't dig themselves too deep a hole.

The Lions are starting two rookies on the right side of their offensive line, so the bright lights could be blinding. But as long as Stafford takes care of the ball and Joique Bell controls the clock, the Lions should be in it until the end.

Pick: Cowboys 27, Lions 21.

Last meeting

Oct. 27, 2013

Lions 31, Cowboys 30: Calvin Johnson caught 14 passes for 329 yards, and

Matthew Stafford completed a furious comeback with a goal-line leap with 12 seconds left at Ford Field.

Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.