Detroit’s moment to display they weren’t the same old Lions disintegrated at Dallas in the third quarter yesterday when the Cowboys stole the momentum and the game, winning 35-to-19. It was Detroit’s 26th straight road loss, extending the record they set last week at Buffalo.

The Lions were ahead 10-to-7 at halftime and then took a 12-to-7 lead on a safety early in the third quarter. After failing to get a first down, Detroit punted, and the Lion’s John Wendling seemed to play it perfectly, leaping just before the goalline and tapping the ball toward the field. But instead, it bounced into the hands of Dallas’ Bryan McCann and he returned it 97 yards for a touchdown.

That score put the Cowboys ahead for good and Detroit was on its way to its eighth loss of the season.

Former Lion’s quarterback Jon Kitna threw for three touchdowns for Dallas and then to rub it in, scampered 29-yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to close out the scoring as the Cowboys improved to 3-and-7.

It was another double-digit penalty game for Detroit, which was flagged 10 times for 76 yards. The Lions have a short week now to get ready for New England as the Patriots will be at Ford Field to play Detroit on Thanksgiving Day. New England yesterday hung on to beat Indianapolis 31-to-28 to join the Jets and the Falcons as the teams sharing the league’s best record at 8-and-2.

The Lions remain in last place in the N-F-C North which has the Green Bay Packers sharing first place with the Bears after the Packers yesterday pounded Minnesota 31-to-3, as the Vikings slump to 3-and-7.

ELSEWHERE AROUND THE LEAGUE…

Baltimore Ravens 37, Carolina Panthers 13

Buffalo Bills 49, Cincinnati Bengals 31

Jacksonville Jaguars 24, Cleveland Browns 20

Kansas City Chiefs 31, Arizona Cardinals 13

New York Jets 30, Houston Texans 27

Pittsburgh Steelers 35, Oakland Raiders 3

Washington Redskins 19, Tennessee Titans 16 (OT)

New Orleans Saints 34, Seattle Seahawks 19

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21, San Francisco 49ers 0

Atlanta Falcons 34, St. Louis Rams 17

Tonight…Denver at San Diego...