Detroit @ Dallas preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 26, 2016 ) Detroit 21, Dallas 42

The Dallas Cowboys look to jumpstart their hibernating offense when they host the Detroit Lions on Sunday. Dallas ranks 31st in scoring offense at 13.7 points and 30th in total offense (277.7 yards per game) while running back Ezekiel Elliott wants to see more of the football.

Elliott is tied with San Francisco's Matt Breida for the NFL lead with 274 rushing yards and has a stellar 5.7-yard average but is carrying the ball just 16 times per game. "I would love to see it more, but I just think (it's) the nature of the games we've played in these first three games," Elliott told reporters. "We've been down. We've been having to try to come back. It's hard to come back and try to run the ball." Detroit is coming off a high as first-year coach Matt Patricia outcoached former boss Bill Belichick en route to a 26-10 victory over New England. The stunning performance marked a major turnaround from the first two games in which the Lions were outscored 78-44.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Cowboys -3. O/U: 44

ABOUT THE LIONS (1-2): Quarterback Matthew Stafford bounced back from a four-interception performance in the season opener to throw five touchdown passes against one pick in his last two games. Rookie Kerryon Johnson rushed for 101 yards against the Patriots to become the first Detroit running back to top 100 yards in a contest since Reggie Bush in 2013. Eli Harold registered two sacks against New England and shares the team lead of three with fellow linebacker Devon Kennard.

ABOUT THE COWBOYS (1-2): Quarterback Dak Prescott has just 498 passing yards - with two touchdowns and two interceptions - and his highest output of the season is only 170 yards. Veteran outside linebacker Sean Lee (hamstring) appears to be in jeopardy of missing this week's contest and rookie Leighton Vander Esch is being prepared to start against the Lions after posting 11 tackles in relief of Lee in last week's setback against Seattle. "That's the biggest thing - you've got to be consistent, week in and week out," Vander Esch told reporters. "It doesn't matter what you did last week or the week before or the first week. None of that matters now - it's what I do this week."

EXTRA POINTS

1. Dallas has yet to intercept a pass this season.

2. Detroit WR Golden Tate (team-best 20 receptions) has caught six or more passes in each of the first three games.

3. Prescott has failed to pass for 200 yards in nine of his last 11 contests.

PREDICTION: Cowboys 24, Lions 20