Falcons @ Cowboys
Final Score: Cowboys 31, Falcons 13
Writer: Brett Ford (@FadeThatMan)
In the final preseason trial for both of these NFC teams, the Cowboys earned a 31-13 victory. The scoreline wasn’t the main story to come out of this one as Dallas superstar defensive end Micah Parsons was spotted pre-game with a tray full of nachos and during the game sprawled out comfortably on an athletic training table. It’s clear he wasn’t taking the event seriously – which is fair considering it doesn’t appear that the Cowboys are taking his contract negotiations seriously. On the field, rookie running back Jaydon Blue finally made his debut while Joe Milton showed flashes of promise for the first time this summer. Let’s dig in.
Three Up
- Joe Milton III – Showed the entire collection of tools, including his mobility, to lead the Cowboys to a win
- Phil Mafah – Miles Sanders and Jaydon Blue are both nursing injuries, and Mafah looked like a force on Friday night.
- Chris Blair – The Falcons’ wide receiver may have done enough to earn one of the final roster spots before the 53-man cutdown.
Three Down
- Jaydon Blue – It was great to see him suit up, but he played behind Deuce Vaughn and left the game with an ankle injury.
- Miles Sanders – It’s extremely unclear how the Dallas backfield will shake out, but rumors are floating that Sanders could be cut in favor of Mafah.
- Falcons Defense – Allowing Joe Milton and the Cowboys to light up the scoreboard indicates a lack of defensive depth. The Falcons finished the preseason 0-3, and the defense didn’t play particularly well throughout.
Atlanta Falcons
Quarterback
Easton Stick: 20/28, 198 passing yards, TD, INT | 3 carries, 18 yards
Stick was good considering the offensive line in front of him looked like a bunch of matadors on a handful of plays, letting the Dallas pass rush pressure Stick far more often than he would have liked. He threw a touchdown pass to former quarterback Feleipe Franks, but was also intercepted twice (although one was called back for a penalty on the defense). Overall, Stick should have done enough to earn a spot as the Falcons’ emergency third quarterback behind Penix and Cousins, but surely Falcons fans won’t want to see him do much more than hold a clipboard on Sundays.
Ben DiNucci: 0/2, INT
Tough day for DiNucci, who will likely be playing in the USFL before too long.
Running Back
Elijah Dotson: 12 carries, 74 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 7 yards
Jashaun Corbin: 11 carries, 51 yards | 2 targets, 1 reception, -4 yards
Nathan Carter: 4 carries, 10 yards
Despite a solid performance, Dotson was cut by the time we started writing this recap over the weekend. Corbin showed some burst and power on his limited opportunities, but he will likely be cut as well. Both are names to watch out for later on this season as teams suffer injuries at running back and look for depth on the waiver wire.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Nick Nash: 9 targets, 6 receptions, 87 yards
Chris Blair: 9 targets, 6 receptions, 65 yards
Both young receivers played well in this one, though it would be tough to convince me that either makes the 53-man roster given the Falcons’ depth chart. With Drake London, Darnell Mooney, Ray Ray McCloud, Casey Washington, and Khadarel Hodge all locks for the roster and Jamal Agnew likely to make the team for his special teams acumen, it seems highly likely that Blair and Nash are both roster casualties come the deadline on Tuesday.
Feleipe Franks: 3 targets, 3 receptions, 24 yards, TD
Wait a minute, didn’t this guy play quarterback a while ago? Yep, he did. But now he’s a tight end and is making athletic plays in the preseason, hoping for one more shot at his NFL dream. He’s a candidate for the Falcons’ practice squad.
Ladies and Gentleman, I present to you, a Feleipe Franks highlight in the year of our Lord 2025
pic.twitter.com/saTFiiohBa— Nick Perkins (@NickyPerkss) August 23, 2025
Dylan Drummond: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 11 yards
Jesse Matthews: 2 targets, 1 reception, 8 yards
Quincy Skinner Jr.: 1 target, 0 receptions
Nikola Kalinic: 1 target, 0 receptions
Dallas Cowboys
Quarterback
Joe Milton III: 10/18, 132 Yards, TD | 4 Carries, 33 Yards, TD
Milton looked better than he had in the previous two outings – though he set the bar low – and had some real shining moments. He threw his best pass of the preseason, connecting with Jalen Brooks on a go route for a 30-yard touchdown, and found the end zone on the ground as well. His decision-making was better, and his execution improved as well. Hopefully for Cowboys fans, this will calm some nerves heading into Week 1 that Dak Prescott has a competent backup.
Joe Milton has to be the most interesting QB to watch in the NFL rn
— TWSN (@TWSN___) August 23, 2025
Will Grier: 4/6, 40 Yards | 3 Carries, 4 Yards, Fumble
Grier just isn’t an NFL-caliber quarterback.
Running Back
Deuce Vaughn: 10 carries, 42 yards
Vaughn got the start, toting the rock on the Cowboys’ first drive of the game before giving way to Blue. He came back in for the first half two-minute drill. Overall, he looked solid against the Falcons’ defensive depth but is likely the odd man out in the Dallas backfield.
Jaydon Blue: 9 carries, 25 yards, TD
If it wasn’t for a second-half injury, Blue would have had an excellent debut. He showed patience and burst, and even found the end zone, but he got rolled up on in the third quarter and left the game. He’s currently uncertain for Week 1, and the Cowboys’ backfield is a mess until we get some clarity with the cuts on Tuesday (we hope).
Phil Mafah: 2 carries, 16 yards, TD | 1 Target
Mafah is a hard-nosed, straight-line runner. He could be an excellent goal line back for somebody out there, but it might not be the Cowboys. According to sources following the team, it’s likely between him and Miles Sanders for the last roster spot in the Dallas backfield.
Malik Davis: 1 carry, 2 yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Ryan Flournoy: 5 targets, 4 receptions, 45 yards
Jalen Brooks: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 35 yards, TD
One of these two will likely get cut. Both of them are talented enough for a roster spot somewhere in the NFL – be it Dallas or not. Flournoy put together another solid outing, generating separation from defenders and pulling down four out of his five targets. Brooks made his way to the highlight reel with an excellent touchdown catch over his shoulder on a go route. Good luck figuring out which one gets cut and which one sticks around.
Rivaldo Fairweather: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 41 yards
Traeshon Holden: 4 targets, 2 receptions, 22 yards
Jalen Cropper: 1 target, 1 reception, 11 yards
Princeton Fant: 1 target, 1 reception, 7 yards
Josh Kelly: 2 targets, 1 reception, 6 yards
Tyler Neville: 1 target, 1 reception, 5 yards