In a hard-fought game marred by missed opportunities and untimely errors, the Dallas Cowboys fell to the Atlanta Falcons, 27-21. The Cowboys, now battling a slew of injuries to key players, couldn’t overcome their own mistakes or Atlanta’s efficient offense led by quarterback Kirk Cousins. To make matters worse, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was sidelined with a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter, leaving the team’s hopes to backup Cooper Rush.
Dallas started the game with promise, holding Atlanta scoreless on their first drive for the first time this season. Prescott then led a well-paced opening drive, connecting with tight end Jake Ferguson for multiple gains and helping set up a 34-yard field goal by kicker Brandon Aubrey. But despite the early success, the Cowboys soon found themselves trailing 10-3 after Cousins capped off a seven-play, 78-yard drive with a touchdown pass to Drake London.
The Cowboys’ defense managed a momentum shift in the second quarter when defensive end Carl Lawson strip-sacked Cousins, with Donovan Wilson recovering the fumble. However, Dallas was unable to capitalize on the turnover, as a failed fourth-down attempt led to Atlanta reclaiming possession. Shortly after, the Falcons extended their lead when Cousins found a wide-open Darnell Mooney for another touchdown, taking advantage of a Dallas secondary struggling with communication.
Despite the Cowboys’ struggles, the running game showed promise. Rico Dowdle, a bright spot in an otherwise challenging game, recorded 75 yards on 12 carries, contributing significantly to the Cowboys’ season-high 137 rushing yards. Dowdle also pulled off a memorable touchdown in the second quarter, juggling a pass from Prescott before securing it while on his back in the end zone. Prescott himself added 30 yards on the ground, including a season-long 22-yard rush.
The Cowboys headed into halftime trailing by only four points, 14-10, and remained within striking distance early in the second half. Yet penalties continued to plague them, as they racked up seven pre-snap penalties, two of which occurred on crucial fourth downs. A failed fake punt pass attempt also gave Atlanta prime field position, leading to another touchdown and a more comfortable 21-10 lead for the Falcons.
The injury bug hit hard in the fourth quarter. Prescott, who had been using his legs effectively, injured his hamstring during a tackle late in the third. Despite his best efforts to continue, the injury forced him to leave the game. Prescott had been efficient, completing 18 of 24 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown, but his absence placed pressure on Rush, who entered in the final stretch of the game.
Cooper Rush managed to rally the Cowboys with an 86-yard drive, highlighted by a clutch fourth-down completion to KaVontae Turpin and a touchdown pass to Jalen Tolbert, followed by a successful two-point conversion to CeeDee Lamb. However, the comeback attempt fell short after Atlanta recovered Aubrey’s onside kick attempt, sealing Dallas’s fate.
With this loss, the Cowboys find themselves facing uncertainty. Prescott is scheduled for an MRI to assess the severity of his hamstring injury ahead of a crucial NFC East matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles next week. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones expressed optimism about Prescott’s resilience, emphasizing Prescott’s history of fast recovery. However, the injury raises concerns about his availability in the weeks to come.
On the bright side, Dallas showed potential in its rushing attack, even in Elliott’s absence due to a disciplinary issue. Head coach Mike McCarthy may lean further into the ground game, especially with Dowdle’s standout performance.