ARLINGTON – The Cowboys were missing seven defensive players Sunday.

There were no four defensive ends that coordinator Mike Zimmer relies on to make plays. Also missing were a starting cornerback and his replacement. The starting middle linebacker, who was brought in during the offseason to help Zimmer's defense, was also sidelined due to health issues.

“No excuses, next man up mentality,” linebacker Damone Clark said. “There are no excuses for this.”

The Lions didn't care about the Cowboys' problems and beat them 47-9 on Sunday.

It was the most points allowed by the Cowboys defense this season. An astonishing development considering the Cowboys gave up 44 points to the Saints in their home opener almost a month ago.

The 492 total yards were also a season high allowed by this defense. And the Lions' 184 rushing yards marked the third time an opponent rushed for over 150 yards.

Making matters worse, the home team noticed Lions fans – whether they were from Detroit, Saginaw, Flint, DeSoto, Coppell, Prosper or around the corner – chanting “Jared Goff, Jared Goff, Jared Goff.”

The Lions quarterback completed 18 passes for 315 yards with three touchdowns and a quarterback rating of 153.8.

“Any time another team chants in our own building, that should be a problem,” cornerback Jourdan Lewis said. “Yes, this is definitely something we can’t allow anymore.”

Aside from the Goff chants, the Lions themselves made a statement to the Cowboys that they weren't at their level, something coach Mike McCarthy alluded to after the loss.

The Lions were unfortunate to have a two-point conversion play taken away from them late in the regular season game last year while using a tackle-able formation.

The Lions used an extra lineman nine times on Sunday.

Lewis called it “a terrible joke” and the Lions “tried to embarrass us” by using a legal play. Things got even more disrespectful when backup quarterback Hendon Hooker attempted a pass with 8:02 to play.

Athletic issues aside, the Lions were more physical than the Cowboys. Zimmer's game plan was to let the first seven players control the line of scrimmage with two safeties playing deep to prevent long passes.

The Lions' running back committee of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 143 yards on a total of 24 carries. This is a committee.

Too often we saw linebacker DeMarvion Overshown chasing ball carriers and cornerback Trevon Diggs not attacking in the run game.

The front four was pushed around and there was a 17-yard run by Montgomery in which he broke three arm tackles.

There was a lack of physicality in this defense Sunday. It didn't matter who the club was missing.

“We can be better,” Clark said. “Of course we can be better. We made plays there, but we left some plays out there. We need to correct it and look at ourselves (and) look in the mirror during the bye week. There is a long season ahead of us. We’re 3-3, don’t hit the panic button.”

Creativity in Zimmer's plan actually led to a sack when safety Donovan Wilson burst through the A gap. If you call that creativity. The defense lacks depth to make plays and Zimmer needs reinforcements to the roster soon.

Four of the seven players — Micah Parsons, DaRon Bland, Caelen Carson and Eric Kendricks — could return for the 49ers game in two weeks.

Without them, beating the 49ers is a daunting task. With them, beating the 49ers is a daunting task.

Jerry Jones has hinted that things should improve once some of his injured players return. But when Parsons, Kendricks and Carson played, his club went up and down.

And with the score at 3-3 and road games at San Francisco and Atlanta before back-to-back home games against Philadelphia and Houston, the Cowboys' season could be slipping away.

In the locker room, players discussed how they could use the break week to look at themselves in the mirror. This bye week is likely another moment for coaches to have “across the hall” discussions where everyone reevaluates players and units.

After the season opener, the Cowboys defense did not have a dominant game. That's difficult in this league. But if you want to be a title contender, the Lions showed the Cowboys what a dominant defense does.

“It's not just about taking out rough people, it's about running to the ball and understanding discipline on every single play,” Lewis said. “Above all, it’s mental strength. Anyone can run and punch, you have to be physically and mentally strong to do it every day.”

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