The Lions kept their playoff hopes very much alive with a 44-30 win on Thursday night over the Dallas Cowboys. That moved the Lions to 8-5 on the season and still in the thick of the NFC North and Wild Card races.

For the game, Pro Football Focus gave the Lions a 77.8 defensive grade, the highest since that win over Tampa Bay in Week 7. The team was led by veteran backup safety Avonte Maddox, who stepped up to play 80 snaps for the Lions and earned a 90.3 defensive grade — the second-highest of his eight-year career.

The Detroit Lions needed to have it, and they got it. The streak of not losing two games in a row continues. The Lions walked out with a 44-30 win over the Dallas Cowboys and turned their playoff chances from possibly gone to being right back in the mix.

A lot contributed to the loss — turnovers, kickoff coverage and Dallas' defense allowed scores on six of the Lions' final seven possessions.

Campbell challenged his players, celebrated key performances, and reminded them their story is still being written.

The Detroit Lions (8-5) would not be in the playoffs if they started next week, but the two-time defending NFC North champions have a chance to play their way in.

Looking back at the Week 14 loss, there is a good mixture of positives and negatives throughout the ballgame for the Cowboys. Today, we’re going to identify one good, one bad, and one ugly thing from the unfortunate Thursday night loss to the Detroit Lions.

The Detroit Lions won, and won big. It was a much-need win to keep their playoff hopes alive, led by their fearless quarterback Jared Goff in an all-out air assault. Goff went 25-of-34 for 309 yards and one touchdown,