NFL Wild Card Playoff Preview, Schedule & Predictions: Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys [VOTE]

By Damon Salvadore First Posted: Jan 03, 2015 09:00 PM EST

The Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys will play each other in an winner take all NFC wild card game on Sunday at 4:40 p.m. EST.

This game will feature two elite wide receivers, Dez Bryant and Calvin Johnson. The Cowboys and Lions don't have a storied rivalry with one another, but the last time the Lions won a playoff game, 1991, it was against the Cowboys.

Let's preview the game and see who has the advantage:

Dallas Cowboys

It was a December to remember for the Cowboys. The Cowboys have won their last four consecutive games, successfully winning the NFC East over the hated Philadelphia Eagles. At 12-4, the Cowboys finished the season as the No. 3 seed in the NFC behind only the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers.

As usual, the Cowboys' offense was top notch, ranking seventh overall in yards and fifth in points scored. Running back DeMarco Murray had an incredible season with 1,845 rushing yards, breaking the legendary Emmitt Smith's franchise single season record. With Tony Romo throwing 34 touchdowns and just nine interceptions, and Dez Bryant providing a reliable deep threat, the Cowboys have one of the best offensive units in the game.

Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli has done a fantastic job with a defense that was the third worst in NFL history last season. The Cowboys defense has forced the second most turnovers in the NFL.

The big test for the Cowboys will be their offense line against the Lions' defensive line. The Cowboys have the NFL's leading rusher, but the Lions have the No. 1 rushing defense. Something's got to give. The X factor player in this game will be 5-foot-8 receiver Cole Beasley, who is a dependable short range target.

Detroit Lions

The Lions led the NFC North division almost the entire season, but a late season loss to the Packers dropped them to the No. 6 seed in the NFC. The Lions finished the season 11-5, as a wild card team, along with the Arizona Cardinals.

The Lions had one of the best defenses during the regular season for a number of reasons. The Lions defense allowed the second fewest yards, third fewest points and fewest rushing yards this season. Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was originally suspended for the game after he stepped (again) on Aaron Rodgers' arm, but that was recently overturned.

There's no doubt Calvin "Megatron" Johnson is an elite wide out, but an ankle injury has prohibited him from making a lot of big plays this year. Golden Tate led the Lions in receptions (99) and receiving yards with 1,331. The Lions defense has to contain Murray so they can get their offense back on the field and control the time of possession.

Only twice this season did the Lions allow more than 100 rushing yards: Week 17 against the Packers and Week 4 against the Jets.

This is a huge game for quarterback Matthew Stafford. Unfortunately, Stafford has been terrible in big road games. In his career, Stafford is 0-17 against teams with a winning record on the road. Facing the 12-4 Cowboys in Dallas leaves fans with a lot of doubt.

Schedule, Where to Watch

The Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys are scheduled to play on Sunday, Jan. 4, at 4:40 p.m. EST on FOX. The game will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. You can view a live game stream here.

Predictions

Having Ndamukong Suh on the field will certainly help, but the Lions just can't match the Cowboys fire power. The Lions will most likely crowd the line of scrimmage and get beat deep by Dez Bryant. This should be a close game with the Cowboys coming out on top.

Cowboys win 31-24