Dallas Cowboys @ Atlanta Falcons
Final Score: ATL 27 – DAL 21
Writer: Cesar Escajeda (@cescajeda13 on Twitter)
A war of attrition for both teams and injuries will dominate the headlines throughout the week after this one. Atlanta continued their streak of solid offensive performances, while the reeling Cowboys approach the trade deadline losers of three straight and hurting at major positions.
Two Up
- Kirk Cousins, QB (ATL) – The “Noon Nightmare” struck again in the NFL’s early window, compiling three total scores on a 79% completion percentage rate. Cousins managed all of this even without his leading receiver, Drake London, who was knocked out of the game early with a hip pointer. He showcased an absolute command of Atlanta’s offense on the day, changing play calls and dicing the Cowboys’ secondary on a bevy of throws in perfect positions. So far through the season, the Falcons have really been putting things together, and Cousins has been at the forefront for the NFC South contenders.
- Darnell Mooney, WR (ATL) – With London out for most of the afternoon, Mooney had no problem stepping up as the alpha wide receiver and had himself a day, leading the Falcons in targets and hauling in 88 total yards and a score. He absolutely burned the coverage that Dallas put out there, and his TD catch was a thing of beauty, reeling in a moon of a lob for 36 yards, the longest of the day. The Falcons run better with a full complement of weapons in the WR corps, but if London is forced to miss any time, Mooney has shown he is perfectly capable.
Two Down
- Injuries – This game saw far too many star players leave the field. For Atlanta, the likes of London and Grady Jarrett were banged up at different points of the afternoon. At the same time, the Cowboys now have to worry about the long-term health of Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb – both of whom looked to be in considerable pain and must be further evaluated throughout the upcoming week. The hope is that none of them are serious and all can return to the fold sooner rather than later, but it’s an unfortunate reality of the NFL from week to week, and this one felt like a foreboding issue for both teams.
- The Cowboys Offense – As mentioned above, the biggest names on the Cowboys offense were knocked out with injury, and there’s a distinct chance they may be facing multi-week absences. This team is already extremely poor without a stable and consistent running game, bad o-line play, lack of supporting playmakers, and questionable play calling/scheme – but now, without their QB1 and WR1 for a potential period, it could be a bloodbath. Dallas faces a daunting upcoming schedule, and their season teeters on the brink of absolute collapse if Lamb and Prescott can’t go.
Dallas Cowboys
Quarterback
Dak Prescott: 18/24, 133 Yards, 1 TD | 3 Carries, 30 Yards
Before his hamstring injury, it was a mixed bag for Dak.
Dallas started relatively well with a seven-play drive to take an early lead off of a field goal, with Prescott hitting TE Jake Ferguson on a 27-yard catch and run on the first play that looked promising. From there, however, it became a fairly inconsistent outing with Dak and co. unable to put points on the board until just a few minutes before halftime. His numbers stalled at fairly pedestrian levels until he was knocked out of the game, though he was relatively accurate with his throws and didn’t cough up the ball once on the day – a massive win considering how harassed he was by a bottom-tier Falcons pass rush entering Week 9.
His injury was on an otherwise unremarkable play – Dak released the ball downfield to WR Jalen Tolbert that, was ultimately incomplete and suddenly came up a little hobbled. Upon replay, you see his face contort as he steps into the throw, and the ball leaves his hand, but it was unclear exactly why until he was pulled from the game. He’s slated to undergo further testing this week to determine the severity, but it must be a concerning issue, considering the Cowboys weren’t exactly being blown out of the game when he was removed from it.
Cooper Rush: 13/25, 115 Yards, 1 TD, 1 FUM | 1 Carry, 4 Yards
The veteran backup may be manning the helm going forward.
Rush entered after Prescott was pulled and managed a late score that brought this game a lot closer than it felt in the final minutes. Considering he virtually matched Dak’s stats in considerably less time, it was a positive day – but it should be mentioned most of his minutes came in garbage time, with the Falcons content to play softer coverage as the Cowboys attempted to air it out to catch up. Still, his play was solid, and the hope is that the offense is in good hands should the QB1 be forced out for longer.
Bryan Anger: 0/1, 0 Yards
Running Back
Rico Dowdle: 12 Carries, 75 Yards | 6 Targets, 5 Receptions, 32 Yards, 1 TD
All things considered, it was a very plus day for Dowdle.
Forced to miss the previous game with an illness, Dowdle returned to the fold against the Falcons and looked explosive doing so. With Ezekiel Elliott failing to travel due to disciplinary action, the young RB finally shined without having to cede consistent time to anyone, averaging a healthy 6.3 yards per carry and making himself a threat in the receiving game. His TD in the second quarter brought the Cowboys close and was as wild and lucky a TD catch as you’ll see – a testament to his focus and skills. It was very encouraging for Dallas to see him do so well, and with the options behind him lacking, it may just be the thing he needs to fully claim this backfield going forward.
Dalvin Cook: 2 Carries, 6 Yards
Hunter Luepke: 1 Carry, 5 Yards | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 4 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
CeeDee Lamb: 12 Targets, 8 Receptions, 47 Yards, 1 2-Pt. Conversion | 2 Carries, 15 Yards
His numbers were down, but you have to hand it to him – the star wideout is tough.
Banged up on his right shoulder, Lamb continued to play through the majority of the game and tried to make himself as much of a factor as he could for both signal-callers on the day. At a certain point, every play that went his way looked to exacerbate his pain, and there were several fans and fantasy managers simply holding their breath that he would be alright. There wasn’t nearly enough production, all things considered, but he still led the Cowboys in targets & receptions and saw a healthy amount of looks from both QBs. Assuming his shoulder is fine, he will continue to be the focal point of this offensive attack going forward.
If he is healthy, that is.
Jake Ferguson: 10 Targets, 7 Receptions, 71 Yards
The physical TE finally made himself a factor for the Dallas offense on the road.
Ferguson was a playmaker against the Falcon’s secondary quite often, making a statement out of the gate with a long catch and run to kick off the opening possession. He had a handful of tough acrobatic grabs that pushed the sticks and appeared to be the most consistent option outside of Lamb in Atlanta. He’s had a handful of down weeks with injury and offensive ineptitude, but he had an excellent outing on Sunday afternoon and should present himself as the best safety blanket available should the Cowboys lack their top options going forward.
Kavontae Turpin: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 36 Yards
Turpin was dangerous in the return game, but on offense, he just couldn’t get enough looks his way to make a difference. His speed is lethal, but it’s maddeningly inconsistent how unused in the overall scheme. His drops also don’t help.
Jalen Tolbert: 6 Targets, 3 Receptions, 19 Yards, 1 TD
The young wideout was the beneficiary of Rush’s lone TD on the day, but the backup QB wasn’t afraid to throw his way and presents something interesting to watch if Dak and/or Lamb are indeed forced to miss any time.
Jalen Brooks: 5 Targets, 2 Receptions, 26 Yards
Ryan Flournoy: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 13 Yards
C.J. Goodwin: 1 Target
Atlanta Falcons
Quarterback
Kirk Cousins: 19/24, 222 Yards, 3 TDs, 2 FUM (1 Lost) | 4 Carries, -11 Yards
Cousins had no problems going surgical on a banged-up Cowboys’ secondary.
The veteran Falcons’ free agent acquisition made excellent reads throughout the day, play calling against the schemes of the Dallas defense to perfection with solid timing and rhythm, moving the ball with ease. All three of Atlanta’s TDs came off of his arm, and he had no trouble at all finding the right man to throw to for monster gains. It helped that the pass rush simply could not get home, so Cousins was more than happy sitting back and waiting for the play to develop. It was a good game on Sunday for him and the offense, and a continuation of solid offensive games to push their control of the NFC South even further.
Running Back
Bijan Robinson: 19 Carries, 86 Yards | 7 Targets, 7 Receptions, 59 Yards
It was evident early that the Falcons wanted to hit Dallas early and often with Robinson at the forefront of the running game.
The numbers weren’t indicative of a dominant run game, but Bijan kept the chains moving against the Cowboys’ front seven frequently as the featured player for the gameplan this week. Atlanta appeared intent on running the ball against one of the worst rush-defending units in the league, and Robinson was the main beneficiary out of the backfield. He handily out-touched his teammates and continues to have a stranglehold on rush opportunities week in and week out.
Tyler Allgeier: 6 Carries, 18 Yards, 1 TD
Allgeier vultured a late TD in garbage time, which salvaged his day, but it certainly frustrated managers who have a stake in Robinson’s production numbers.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Darnell Mooney: 9 Targets, 5 Receptions, 88 Yards, 1 TD
No London, no problem.
The veteran paced all Falcons’ pass catchers on the day in targets and yardage and was a factor downfield as a threat with London ruled out. Cousins had no problem taking shots, and it paid off numerous times, specifically on the 36-yard score that put Atlanta up for good. It was encouraging how seamlessly he filled in for London and how established his connection with his QB has become, and should his young counterpart continue to need more time, the Falcons won’t miss a beat.
Ray-Ray McCloud III: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 28 Yards, 1 TD | 1 Carry, 7 Yards
Mooney wasn’t the only receiver to step up in the absence of his teammate, with McCloud becoming a factor both on the ground and in the air. His late score was the final dagger that put Dallas away for good. The fact that he continues to be used in the running game opens a door for him to continue producing down the stretch.
Drake London: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 27 Yards, 1 TD
Had it not been for his hip pointer, London likely puts up a monster day through the air against CB Trevon Diggs and Co. His nine-yard score got everything kicked off for the Falcons, doing so on an acrobatic catch with the corner draped over him. It remains to be seen how affected he will be by this new ailment, but should he be able to return to the fold, I fully expect his numbers to reflect his WR1 role regardless of who’s covering him.
Kyle Pitts: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 11 Yards
National TE Day came and went and took Pitts’ productivity with it.
KhaDarel Hodge: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 9 Yards