After three weeks mostly dormant, the Dallas Cowboys offense finally came alive in the 26-24 win over the Detroit Lions to finish with 414 total yards on 65 plays (6.4 yards per carry).

Many clamored for offensive coordinator Scott Linehan to totally revamp his system and playbook. Instead, Linehan decided to use familiar concepts -- such as play-action, up-tempo offense and pre-snap motion -- more frequently against the Lions.

Dallas utilized the play-action passing game on 35.5 percent of Dak Prescott's dropbacks, a considerable jump from Dallas' previous play-action pass rate (22.1 percent of dropbacks in Weeks 1-3). Dallas averaged 12.6 yards per play, giving the offense the ability to gain chunk yardage throughout the game. Furthermore, the Cowboys used more no-huddle offense and pre-snap motion (28 times against Detroit; 24 was previous high) than they had in the prior week. That gave Prescott easier and more defined options in the passing game.

The results were encouraging. The Cowboys ran (183) and threw (231) for more yards against Detroit than in any other game this season. The Cowboys had their highest third-down conversion percentage (41.67).

The Lions defense struggled to pin its ears back and rush the passer because of Dallas' success on the ground and in the play-action game. This gave Prescott more time in the pocket (pressured on just 25.8 percent of his dropbacks; lowest thus far this season) and allowed him to average more yards per pass (7.7) than he had in any other game this season.

In simple terms, against Detroit the Cowboys finally looked like a legitimate NFL offense. With that in mind, let's break down a few of the Cowboys' biggest plays to understand why and how the Cowboys were so successful.

Gutsy fade to Ezekiel Elliott

With the game on the line, Linehan decided to use a play he had been setting up throughout the game. Dallas has a history of utilizing empty formations throughout Linehan's tenure as offensive coordinator.

Against the Lions was no different. The Cowboys occasionally used empty formations to spread the defense and create mismatches for their weapons. Interestingly, the Lions tended to run man-coverage with a deep safety (Cover 1) to counter Dallas' empty formations.

Linehan noticed and dialed this beautiful 'switch vertical' concept, in which Michael Gallup runs a slant and Ezekiel Elliott runs an inside fade route against a linebacker in man coverage:

Context: 4th Quarter, 1:23 remaining. It's 2nd-and-10 from DAL's 41-yard line.

Result: 34-yard catch by Ezekiel Elliott pic.twitter.com/WYxtEWc1eJ — John Owning (@JohnOwning) October 2, 2018

On this play, the Cowboys are using 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end and three receivers) with Ezekiel Elliott flexed to the top of the numbers at the bottom of the screen.

The Lions come out in a split safety look, an indication of Cover 2 coverage, which would be the perfect coverage to defend Elliott's fade route since it'd call for a deep safety waiting for him as he moved downfield.

However, since the Cowboys are in an empty formation, Prescott knows that the Lions are just disguising Cover 1 Robber coverage, or man coverage with one safety playing the deep middle. The other safety, who is reading the quarterback's eyes and looking to undercut routes breaking near him, rotates into the box to be the "robber."

After the ball is snapped, Prescott does an excellent job of identifying the coverage and holding the deep safety in the middle of the field with his eyes, maximizing his throwing window to Elliott down the sideline. The offensive line does a phenomenal job of holding up in protection, giving Prescott the time and space needed to make the throw in rhythm with the proper mechanics.

The result is a perfectly placed pass over Elliott's shoulders, where he makes a beautiful catch in tight coverage to put the Cowboys in field-goal range to win the game.

All 11 players on the field beautifully executed the perfect play call to capitalize on Detroit's defensive tendencies.

Clever slip screen to Ezekiel Elliott

Against Detroit, the Cowboys powered a higher volume of play-action passes into a more explosive passing attack. Four of Dallas' five explosive passes (15-plus yards) came when the Cowboys used a play-action fake. This enabled Prescott and receivers to take advantage of a defense that was aggressively trying to stop the run.

For example, play action set the table for Elliott to get free for his touchdown catch-and-run on a well-executed slip screen:

Context: 2nd Quarter, 1:48 remaining. It's 1st-and-10 from DET's 38-yard line.

Result: 38-yard touchdown catch and run by Ezekiel Elliott. pic.twitter.com/Gfkimqzb7b — John Owning (@JohnOwning) October 2, 2018

Here, the Cowboys are using 11 personnel with a single back, two receivers to the wide side of the field, and one receiver isolated to the top of the screen.

Before the ball is snapped, Cole Beasley's pre-snap motion identifies the Lions in man coverage -- identifiable when a cornerback follows a receiver in motion.

Once the ball is snapped, Prescott executes a play fake to Beasley on the jet sweep, which brings Detroit's second-level defenders toward the line of scrimmage. After executing the play fake, Prescott expertly manipulates Detroit's inside linebacker (No. 52 Christian Jones) with his eyes, moving the linebacker to create even more space for the screen to hit.

The offensive line feints like it's going to pass protect before Connor Williams, Joe Looney and Zack Martin leak out to lead block for Elliott down the sideline. Because of the play-action and Prescott's ability to manipulate defenders with his eyes, the Cowboys have a numbers advantage on the outside: Elliott has three blockers and just one defender between him and the end zone.

After Looney passes off the pursuing linebacker to Martin, Elliott is able to show off his impressive burst on his way to the touchdown.

Not only is this a great example of how the Cowboys can use pre-snap motion and play-action to create big plays in the passing game, but it also demonstrates Prescott's ability to manipulate defenders with his eyes -- something he struggled to do in the first three games.

Big-time throw from Dak Prescott to Michael Gallup

Outside of one deep throw to Tavon Austin, the Cowboys had been been unable to involve their receivers in the deep passing game entering the Lions game. Detroit's defense was bailed out by a couple drops from Dallas receivers in the deep passing game. But this play was executed exceedingly well, resulting in chunk yardage for the Cowboys offense:

Context: 1st Quarter, 5:45 remaining. It's 2nd-and-3 from DAL's 48-yard line

Result: 37-yard catch by Michael Gallup. pic.twitter.com/LiZuuTX1Ud — John Owning (@JohnOwning) October 2, 2018

On this play, the Cowboys are once again in 11 personnel with Prescott in shotgun. With the defense showing man coverage pre-snap, Prescott knows that he has one-on-one coverage on each of his outside receivers, who are running go routes, or streaks.

After the snap, Prescott executes a quick play-fake to Elliott and gets his eyes toward the deep safety, confirming that Detroit is in man coverage. Because of the coverage, Prescott knows he must hold the deep safety with his eyes for just a moment to give himself a big enough throwing window to hit Gallup down the sideline.

Gallup does a great job of beating the press coverage and 'stacking,' or getting on top of, the cornerback to give Prescott an opportunity to make the tight-window throw.

With exceptional protection from the offensive line, Prescott is able to drop back and throw in rhythm, delivering a perfectly placed ball into Gallup's hands for the 37-yard reception.

Once again, Prescott steps up and make a tight-window throw when he has good protection and a clean pocket. And Gallup demonstrates his ability to make contested catches -- a skill he thrived with in college.

Counter Trey success

Before this game, the Cowboys' most effective run concept had been the pin-and-pull sweep. Getting Elliott to the edge by pulling offensive linemen in front of him has been lucrative for the Cowboys offense.

But Dallas has limited its pin-and-pull sweep to teams who run a 4-3 base defense (Panthers and Seahawks). Against teams who run a 3-4 base defense (Giants and Lions), the Cowboys have used the counter trey.

The two are similar, with pulling linemen blocking for a running back on the edge, but their applications differ. The pin-and-pull concepts utilize zone blocking; the counter trey uses old-fashioned power/gap blocking.

Against the Lions, the Cowboys were effective using the counter trey. This play is a great example:

Context: 2nd Quarter, 2:50 remaining. It's 1st-and-10 from DAL's 25-yard line.

Result: 19-yard run by Ezekiel Elliott pic.twitter.com/pcDfFLAe8P — John Owning (@JohnOwning) October 2, 2018

Here, the Cowboys are once again in 11 personnel with Prescott in shotgun against Detroit's odd front.

After the snap, Elliott takes an initial step backside to freeze the second-level defenders, giving Zack Martin and La'el Collins enough time to pull play-side while Geoff Swaim and the front-side of the Cowboys offensive line (Tyron Smith, Connor Williams and Joe Looney) down blocks.

Because Smith is able to displace and cave in the play-side defensive end while Martin kicks out the edge defender, Elliott is gifted a huge alley to run through to get to the second level.

Once he is at the second level, Elliott does a remarkable job of reading the leverage of the defender whom Swaim is blocking. That defender is peeking inside and cutting into space. Then Elliott outruns the safety to the sideline before his momentum carries him out of bounds for a 19-yard gain.

This play was a great indication of what can happen when the offensive line successfully creates running room for a brilliant running back. While the blocking up front assured that the play would be successful, it is Elliott's second-level vision that allows him to maximize the opportunity.

John Owning writes about NFL player evaluation for SportsDayDFW.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JohnOwning.