In a frustrating 27-21 defeat to the Atlanta Falcons, the Dallas Cowboys once again fell victim to untimely penalties, poor third- and fourth-down performance, and communication breakdowns. The team’s struggles were compounded by the loss of quarterback Dak Prescott to a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter, and CeeDee Lamb, who briefly left the game with a shoulder injury but returned in the final minutes.
Prescott showed efficiency before his exit, completing 75% of his passes for 133 yards, a touchdown, and no interceptions. In relief, Cooper Rush completed 18 of 24 passes for 115 yards and a late touchdown, finishing with a passer rating of 77.9. Rico Dowdle led Dallas’s rushing with 75 yards on 12 carries, while Prescott added 30 yards on three runs, contributing to a strong 6.5 yards-per-carry average. Tight end Jake Ferguson led in receiving with 71 yards, while Lamb, despite his injury, added eight catches for 47 yards and a late two-point conversion.
Key Moments and Quarters Recap
In the opening drive, Dallas started strong with a Brandon Aubrey field goal. However, the Falcons quickly responded with a touchdown pass from Kirk Cousins to Drake London, taking a 10-3 lead.
In the second quarter, Dallas gained momentum after Carl Lawson’s strip-sack of Cousins. Unfortunately, they couldn’t capitalize, with a fourth-down run attempt by Lamb stopped short. Atlanta took advantage, with Cousins connecting with Darnell Mooney for a touchdown. Dallas clawed back with an impressive touchdown catch by Dowdle, narrowing the score to 14-10 at halftime.
Second Half Struggles and Late-Game Push
The third quarter saw the Cowboys struggle with penalties, including a failed fake punt attempt. Cousins capitalized, throwing an 11-yard touchdown pass to Ray-Ray McCloud. Aubrey’s 57-yard field goal trimmed the deficit to 21-13 by the end of the third quarter.
Atlanta widened their lead in the fourth with Tyler Allgeier’s six-yard rushing touchdown. Prescott’s injury left Rush to take over, and after a near punt-return touchdown by KaVontae Turpin, Dallas remained in contention. Rush connected with Jalen Tolbert for a touchdown, followed by Lamb’s two-point conversion, closing the gap to 27-21. However, the Cowboys’ onside kick attempt fell short, sealing their defeat.
The Cowboys, though effective in moments, were ultimately undone by self-inflicted mistakes and key injuries, leading to yet another disappointing loss in a season that’s fast slipping away.
