Detroit Lions (11-5) at Dallas Cowboys (12-4)

Sunday, 4:30 p.m. ET, at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas – TV: FOX

*TV announcers: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, Chris Myers

*Keys to the game: Lions WRs Golden Tate and Calvin Johnson are central to the Lions’ success against the Cowboys’ 26th-ranked pass defense. The Lions are inconsistent running the ball. To loosen the Cowboys’ front seven, QB Matthew Stafford will use RBs Reggie Bush and Joique Bell as short-area receivers and take his chances over the top.

Two of the top lines in the NFL square off with Dallas’ front five built around three first-round picks and the Lions’ muscled-up defensive line centered around All-Pro DT Ndamukong Suh. Two of the top young players in the NFL, Lions DE Ziggy Ansah and Cowboys LT Tyron Smith, lock up in an admission-worthy one-on-one battle. Where and how the Cowboys provide help will dictate how much of the playbook QB Tony Romo has at his disposal.

Romo will likely go to the air early. Detroit’s top-ranked run defense surrenders only 69.3 rushing yards per game and will key on RB DeMarco Murray, the NFL’s leading rusher in 2014. The Cowboys were second in the NFL with 147.7 rushing yards per game.

Cowboys’ play-caller Scott Linehan has been unpredictable and vital to keeping defenses guessing.

Dallas’ defense will not single cover WR Calvin Johnson. The last time that happened (at Detroit in 2013), Johnson toasted CB Brandon Carr for 329 receiving yards on 14 receptions.

*Matchup to watch – Lions LB DeAndre Levy vs. Murray: Levy is a powderkeg of a linebacker and is free to dart into the backfield and to the sideline to make plays with the Lions’ line drawing blockers’ attention. The Lions led the NFL with 133 tackles for loss.

*Player spotlight – Cowboys WR Dez Bryant: When the Cowboys consciously push the ball to Bryant, he delivers, leading the NFL in TD catches in 2014 (16) with 1,320 receiving yards. He’s driven to make a statement with Megatron on the other sideline.

*Fast facts: Cowboys coordinators Rod Marinelli and Scott Linehan both coached in Detroit. Marinelli was head coach, Linehan offensive coordinator. … Cowboys coach Jason Garrett is making his playoff coaching debut. … Dallas has one postseason win since 1997. Detroit last won in the playoffs in 1991 (38-6 vs. Dallas).

WHO WILL WIN AND WHY

Detroit is never dead, as the Cowboys know all too well from Stafford-led comeback wins down 10 (2013) and 24 (2011). But if Tony Romo takes care of the ball, and his line takes care of him, the Cowboys cruise into Green Bay for the divisional playoff round.

*Our pick: Cowboys 27-20