FLOWERY BRANCH — A look at the teams on the Falcons' schedule and how they have reconstructed their roster since the season's end. We're up to Game Nine, when the Falcons will host the Dallas Cowboys at 4:25 p.m. on Nov. 12:
GAME SEVEN: NEW YORK JETS
GAME EIGHT: CAROLINA PANTHERS
GAME NINE: DALLAS COWBOYS
Dallas Cowboys at Falcons, at 4:25 p.m. Nov. 12
No longer with the Cowboys: QB Tony Romo, DE Jack Crawford, RT Doug Free, S J.J. Wilcox, DE Ryan Davis, CB Morris Claiborne, CB Brandon Carr, RB Lance Dunbar, QB Mark Sanchez and TE Gavin Escobar.
Key free agent signings/pickups: CB Nolan Carroll, RT Byron Bell, DE Stephen Paea and DE Damontre Moore.
Dallas Cowboys' 2017 NFL draft
Weaknesses: The Cowboys are re-tooling their entire defensive unit. They are banking on rookies Awuzie and Lewis to play early in their careers. On offense, the Cowboys must find a replacement for Free at right tackle. La'el Collins got the first shot at the spot.
Strengths: The offensive line is the key to the operation. They helped to spring running back Ezekiel Elliott and allowed quarterback Dak Prescott to thrive as a rookie. Linebacker Jaylon Smith is trying to comeback from a gruesome knee injury. He was a top 10 talent the Cowboys picked up in the second round of the 2016 draft.
Comment: The Cowboys went 13-3 last season and reached the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. The key to their growth is the continued development of Prescott, who completed 67.8 percent of his passes (4th in the NFL), 3,667 yards passing and had an impressive 23-to-4, touchdowns-to-interception ratio. Prescott's passer rating was 104.9, behind only Matt Ryan and Tom Brady.
FALCONS SCHEDULE
Exhibition season
Falcons at Miami Dolphins at 7 p.m. Aug. 10
Falcons at Pittsburgh Steelers at 4 p.m. Aug. 20
Arizona Cardinals at Falcons at 7 p.m. Aug. 26
Jacksonville Jaguars at Falcons at 7 p.m. Aug. 31
Regular season
Sept. 10 at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m., Fox
Sept. 17 Green Bay Packers, 8:30 p.m. NBC
Sept. 24 at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m. Fox
Oct. 1 Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m., CBS
Oct. 8 BYE
Oct. 15 Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m., CBS
Oct. 22 at New England Patriots, 8:30 p.m., NBC
Oct. 29 at New York Jets, 1 p.m., Fox
Nov. 5 at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m., Fox
Nov. 12 Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 p.m., Fox
Nov. 20 at Seattle Seahawks (Mon) 8:30 p.m., ESPN
Nov. 26 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m., Fox
Dec. 3 Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m., Fox
Dec. 7 New Orleans Saints (Thur), 8:25 p.m., NBC/NFL Network/Amazon
Dec. 18 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Mon). 8:30 p.m., ESPN
Dec. 24 at New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m., Fox
Dec. 31 Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m., Fox
THE FALCONS 2017 DRAFT
MUST READ PROFILE: Falcons top pick McKinley makes name for himself
2017 Falcons report card: Falcons earn a B-plus
NFC Champs add a pass rusher, quality depth
1st rounder: Meet defensive end Takkarist McKinley
3rd rounder: Meet linebacker Duke Riley
4th rounder: Meet offensive guard Sean Harlow
5th rounder: Meet defensive back Damontae Kazee
