Lions visit Cowboys in return to scene of disputed 2-point call in 1-point loss

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Dan Campbell can always count the way he enjoys the closest thing he has to a homecoming when he visits the Dallas Cowboys.

The Detroit coach and Texas native might add a wink and a nod for this return, about nine months after the Lions had a 2-point conversion incorrectly penalized in the final seconds of a 20-19 loss that cost them a shot at the top seed in the NFC.

Campbell isn't ignoring the narrative of revenge. He's not really foaming at the mouth, either, heading into Sunday's game at AT&T Stadium.

The Lions have started 3-1 in consecutive seasons for the first time in a decade, and the Cowboys (3-2) have stabilized after an alarming pair of home losses by winning twice on the road.

“You’ve got to keep your head about you no matter what it is, and I think each game, you can always find something,” said Campbell, who was born and raised less than 100 miles from Dallas and played three of his 10 NFL seasons with the Cowboys. “There are reasons behind why you want to win them, and you find what those are and they’re different every week.”

Last Dec. 30, the Lions had just driven 75 yards to a touchdown with 23 seconds left when Campbell decided to go for 2, using a tackle-eligible play he says he told officials about before the game.

Lineman Taylor Decker caught the pass for an apparent 21-20 lead, but officials ruled that Dan Skipper had reported as eligible and Decker had not. Quarterback Jared Goff was certain the opposite was true.

Goff threw an interception on the second attempt, but the Cowboys were offsides. The third attempt was an incomplete pass short of the goal line.

The crazy sequence wasn't the first thing Goff was asked about by reporters this week, but that's only because he set an NFL record in his most recent game by completing all 18 of his passes in a 42-29 victory over Seattle. Detroit was off last week.

It didn't take the media long to get back to the play that helped drop the Lions to the third seed. They lost the NFC championship game at San Francisco.

“I don’t want to dwell on something that was eight months ago or whatever,” said Goff, who has lost to the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in each of the past two seasons. “I think it was just a mistake that the officials made, and it happens. I don’t think we take it personally.

“I think it’s more on the lines (of) we haven’t beaten these guys two years in a row and that’s more in our heads of like, ‘All right, it’s time to try and stop that,’” Goff said.

Dallas coach Mike McCarthy was even less interested in revisiting the odd ending.

“There’s been a lot of football since last year,” said McCarthy, whose team blew its good fortune by losing a home wild-card playoff game to Green Bay two weeks later. “I have not looked at our last year game. I’m really focused on what they’ve done this year.”

Goff's overall streak of completions is 19 after he broke Kurt Warner's previous single-game mark of 10. He also set the record for passing yards without an incompletion at 292, more than 100 yards better than the previous high set by Frank Filchock in 1939.

Goff is six consecutive completions shy of the overall NFL record of 25 shared by Nick Foles, Marcus Mariota, Philip Rivers and Ryan Tannehill. Foles, Mariota and Rivers each did it in 2018, Tannehill three years earlier.

“I’ve had games where I feel even better, and things are clicking even more,” Goff said. “I think we can get there. We can do even better and continue to improve.”

Both teams appear set for reinforcements from players who have missed time because of injuries or illness.

Frank Ragnow, Detroit's three-time Pro Bowl center, and safety Brian Branch were out against the Seahawks. Ragnow has a pectoral injury, and Branch was dealing with an illness.

Dallas cornerback DaRon Bland, who set an NFL record with five interception returns for touchdowns last season, could make his season debut. Bland had surgery for a stress fracture in his foot late in the preseason.

Bland's replacement, rookie Caelen Carson, could return after missing two games with a shoulder injury.

The Cowboys figure to be without star pass rusher Micah Parsons for a second consecutive week because of a high ankle sprain. It's the first time Parsons has been sidelined by injury since Dallas drafted the two-time All-Pro 12th overall in 2021.

What was shaping up as a mismatch of rushing offenses might be a little less so.

The Lions have one of the league's best tandems in David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, and they're 7-0 when both score at least one rushing touchdown in a game.

Rico Dowdle had his best game with the Cowboys against the Steelers as Dallas finally gave quarterback Dak Prescott some help in last week's 20-17 victory over Pittsburgh.

Dowdle had 20 carries for 87 yards with 114 scrimmage yards against the Steelers, all career highs. Ezekiel Elliott, who rejoined the Cowboys in the offseason after a year away from the team with which he won two rushing titles, has 20 carries in the past four games combined.

“Our approach to the game this week will probably be similar to last week,” McCarthy said.

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Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, left, celebrates his touchdown with running back David Montgomery during the first half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle runs with the gall against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott talks to reporters following an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, early Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Pittsburgh. The Cowboys won 20-17. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy reacts during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, early Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Pittsburgh. The Cowboys won 20-17. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff prepares to throw during the second half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell addresses the media after an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is well aware of the Green Bay Packers’ penchant for creating turnovers.

Murray wants to make sure he doesn’t become the latest QB to throw a ball into the hands of Packers safety Xavier McKinney.

“I’m not out there playind scared or anything like that, but we understand going into this game that that’s something that they do well,” Murray said.

The Packers (3-2) have an NFL-leading 14 takeaways. McKinney has intercepted passes in each of Green Bay’s first five games.

McKinney has a pick in six straight games, a streak that started in the final week of the 2023 season when he was with the New York Giants.

Green Bay is coming off a 24-19 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in which McKinney recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass on back-to-back series, with both takeaways leading to Packers touchdowns.

“If I’m soaking in, ‘Oh, I did this,’ that ain’t going to help us as a team and as a defense,” said McKinney, who was honored as NFC defensive player of the week. “I’m just trying each and every week, if I do something, celebrate it 24 hours and then we’re on to the next.”

The Cardinals (2-3) want to make sure they’re not dwelling on their 24-23 triumph at San Francisco.

Murray and James Conner rushed for a combined 169 yards against the 49ers. They face a Packers defense that allowed 134 yards rushing against the Rams, with Kyren Williams gaining 102.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur said he’s impressed with the elusiveness of Murray, who rushed for 83 yards on seven carries at San Francisco.

“We showed the guys a bunch of clips of him just making multiple defenders miss in the pocket and his ability to create and extend and make those off-schedule, chunks down the field,” LaFleur said. “He’s extremely dangerous. He’s probably playing as good as he’s ever played.”

Packers quarterback Jordan Love has thrown for 873 yards and eight touchdowns in three starts while showing plenty of big-play ability. He had a 66-yard touchdown completion to Tucker Kraft and threw a 53-yard strike to Jayden Reed that set up a touchdown.

But he also has been picked off five times. Love took care of the ball much better last season: He threw 21 touchdown passes with only one interception during one nine-game stretch.

“I’m an aggressive quarterback,” Love said. “I’m always trying to push the ball downfield. I believe in my arm talent and the guys around me, they’re going to make plays, things like that. But you’ve got to say true to your reads, go through progressions, and if they’re taking stuff away, be able to find those checkdowns.”

Murray occasionally bristles at the notion he’s a running quarterback, but there’s little doubt the Cardinals are at their best when he’s a threat on the ground.

He ran for a 50-yard touchdown against the 49ers, hitting a 21.27 mph sprint speed, according to NFL NextGen Stats. That’s the fastest run for a QB in the past eight years.

The Cardinals’ two wins this season have been Murray’s two most productive games running the ball.

Packers receiver Bo Melton could get a chance to match up and catch up with his younger brother, Cardinals rookie cornerback Max Melton.

“It’s been circled on the schedule — on my family’s schedule — since preseason,” Bo said. “Definitely going to be a surreal moment. Can’t wait to play against him, can’t wait to enjoy that for our family.”

Reed had six catches for 78 yards and two carries for 19 yards against the Rams. He has 21 catches for 414 yards and two touchdowns plus eight carries for 110 yards and a TD.

The only other players ever to have at least 400 yards receiving and 100 yards rushing in the first five games of a season were Washington’s Wilbur Moore (1943), the New York Giants’ Frank Gifford (1959), Philadelphia’s Timmy Brown (1965), San Francisco’s Paul Hofer (1980) and San Francisco’s Roger Craig (1985).

The Cardinals have committed a league-low 3.8 penalties per game. They were penalized just one time for 5 yards against San Francisco.

“Our guys understand the crews that are calling the games, and we try to educate them on that, what they’re looking for or what the NFL is putting emphasis on,” Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said. “It’s going good right now.”

The Packers have committed eight penalties per game. Only five teams (Dallas, Miami, Cleveland, Baltimore and Houston) are being penalized more often.

AP Sports Writer David Brandt contributed to this report.

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Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) throws a pass against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs, left, scores a touchdown as he is defended by Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Green Bay Packers cornerback Evan Williams (33) celebrates with safety Javon Bullard (20) after forcing an incompletion against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (85) runs for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Arizona Cardinals tight end Elijah Higgins, left, is congratulated by running back James Conner (6) after scoring against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2) celebrates next to cornerback Max Melton (16) after recovering a fumble by San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney (29) celebrates an interception during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney (29) intercepts the ball during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, right, runs against San Francisco 49ers cornerback Isaac Yiadom during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) gestures behind center at the line of scrimmage during the first half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)