The Atlanta Falcons secured a critical victory over the Dallas Cowboys at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Sunday by a score of 27-21. This win has positioned the Falcons at the top of the NFC South with a 6-3 record, while the Cowboys continue to struggle, now at 3-5.

The Cowboys suffered their third loss in a row, and with a 3-5 record, they remain in third place in the NFC East. Dallas’ loss to the Falcons was amplified by poor play in the secondary, injuries to key players, and multiple controversial play calls by Coach Mike McCarthy.

Key Players:

• Kirk Cousins was pivotal for Atlanta. He threw for 222 yards and 3 touchdowns, including a notable jump ball to Drake London and a 36-yard touchdown pass to Darnell Mooney.
• Bijan Robinson added 86 yards rushing as the Falcons controlled the clock and launched several long drives.
• Dak Prescott had another average performance before exiting the game in the second half with a hamstring injury. Prescott had 133 yards passing with 1 TD and was sacked 3 times. Dak is reportedly facing “several weeks” out.
• Rico Dowdle stepped up with 107 total yards, rushing for 75 and catching a touchdown, which was one of the few bright spots for Dallas’ offense.
• CeeDee Lamb was held to just 47 yards receiving and 15 rushing. Lamb also suffered a shoulder injury and will undergo a MRI to learn the extent of the damage.
• QB Cooper Rush came in for Prescott and launched a 4th quarter rally that fell short when Brandon Aubrey failed to convert an onside kick. Rush finished with 115 yards passing and a TD pass to Jalen Tolbert followed by a 2-point conversion pass to CeeDee Lamb.

Coach Mike McCarthy is under even more heat after this performance, which included a failed fake punt and a curious 4th down sweep by receiver CeeDee Lamb that was thrown for a 3-yard loss.

The Cowboys 3-game skid is longest losing streak for Dallas since a four-game streak during the 2020 season. They have already matched their loss total from each of the past three seasons at 5. The Cowboys head home Sunday to face their NFC East rival, the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys are already short multiple stars with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb’s status now in jeopardy.

Photos courtesy of AP, ESPN, Yahoo Sports, NBC, and Dallas Morning News. 

“Cowboy Regg” – Co-Host of the “Sons of the Star” Podcast. The podcast is available on Apple, YouTube, and Spotify. 

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