Here’s what Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan had to say about the Cowboys, his team’s opponent at 1 p.m. Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas:

Q: What do you respect about quarterback Dak Prescott’s game?

A: His toughness. I think week in and week out he’s asked to do a lot, whether it’s stand in the pocket and throw. He’s on the move quite a bit, running the football, and he shows up.

Q: What did you see from Cowboys defensive end Aldon Smith?

A: I thought he played well last week and got better as the game went on. Looked like he was knocking off a little bit of that rust. I thought he played really well in the second half. Played against him before. I know just how great of a player he is and how disruptive he can be.

Q: How will the Cowboys absorb the blow of losing linebacker Leighton Vander Esch due to an injury?

A: I think they will have somebody else step up. That’s part of it in this league. Every week, every team is dealing with something. … They certainly have more than enough talent on that side of the ball to be disruptive. So, we’ve got to be on top of our plan and play really well on Sunday to give ourselves a chance to be successful.

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