Dallas Cowboys continue relentless march towards play-offs with crushing 42-21 win over Detroit Lions

Dallas Cowboys 42 Detroit Lions 21: Cowboys post 21 unanswered points in the second half after the scores were tied to put Detroit's play-off hopes in jeopardy

Dez Bryant threw for his first career passing touchdown as Dallas Cowboys beat Detroit Lions (Getty)

Dez Bryant's first career touchdown pass highlighted a dominant second-half showing from the Dallas Cowboys as they kept the Detroit Lions waiting to secure a playoff place with a 42-21 win on Monday night.

The game was tied at 21-21 at half-time but it was all Dallas from there on as the Cowboys - who have already wrapped up home-field advantage - matched their franchise record for wins by moving to 13-2.

Dallas' rookie quarterback Dak Prescott threw for 212 yards and three touchdowns, but the highlight of the night belonged to Bryant, who took a reverse pitch from Prescott before lofting a left-handed pass to Jason Witten in the end zone for a 10-yard score which made it 35-21.

A win for Detroit would have put them in the playoffs and they had led 21-14 on the second of Zach Zenner's two touchdowns on the night with 4:01 left in the second quarter.

But Prescott found Bryant with a 25-yard touchdown pass before the interval - the first of four unanswered Cowboys touchdowns to end the game.

Lions' quarterback Matthew Stafford scored on a one-yard sneak and threw for 260 yards, but was sacked four times and an interception set up Ezekiel Elliott's one-yard touchdown early in the third quarter.

Detroit will play Green Bay for the NFC North title on Sunday.

PA