The Detroit Lions started fast against the Dallas Cowboys and jumped out to a 34-6 lead.
However, the effort took an unfortunate turn early in the third quarter when Lions star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson suffered an injury after sacking quarterback Dak Prescott.
Hutchinson was carted off the field with an apparent lower leg injury. The entire Lions defense came onto the field and kneeled around their injured teammate before he was put in an air cast and carted off the field after a lengthy injury break.
Players from Dallas also came onto the field to check on the talented Lions defender. The team officially ruled Hutchinson out with a lower-leg injury soon after.
The Michigan product’s sack was the third of the day for the Lions, with Alim McNeill notching the first two in the first half.
The sack gave Hutchinson 7.5 on the season, and his hot start vaulted him into the early Defensive Player of the Year conversation. He notched four sacks against Tampa Bay in Week 2, and was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month in September.
Detroit made it difficult for the Cowboys’ offense throughout the early part of Sunday’s game. Aside from field goals on Dallas’ first and last drives of the first half, the Lions kept the Cowboys largely in check.
The Lions scored on six of their first seven drives, with the lone exception being the kneel-down to end the first half.
The Lions were leading the Cowboys, 34-6, with 11:43 remaining in the fourth quarter at the time of the injury.
