That was ugly. As in capital U-G-L-Y. The Falcons were drubbed from start to finish in a 43-3 loss at the Cowboys Sunday were most of the starters, for both teams, were out by the fourth quarter. The Falcons, who could claim being in playoff position, fell to 4-5 and looked anything but a postseason team. The Falcons allowed 29 second-quarter points, trailed 36-3 at intermission. Here are the highlights:
Play of the game: It was the tale of two fourth downs. The Falcons trailed 7-3 and faced a fourth-and-7 from the Cowboys’ 32-yard line in the first quarter. Figuring they would need touchdowns and not field goals, the Falcons went for it. The Falcons turned it over on downs following Matt Ryan’s incomplete pass intended for Russell Gage. On the ensuing drive, the Cowboys faced a fourth-and-5 from the Falcons’ 33-yard line. Dak Prescott found CeeDee Lamb for a 21-yard completion. Five plays later, Ezekiel Elliott rushed in from 1-yard out for a 14-3 lead. The Cowboys would convert another fourth day on their next drive that led to another touchdown and a 21-3 lead. And the route was on.
Offensive game ball: Lamb had a big day against the Falcons secondary. The receiver finished with six catches, on seven targets, for 94 yards and two touchdowns (in basically three quarters before he was pulled). He averaged 15.7 yards per catch.
Defensive game ball: Dan Quinn. The former Falcons head coach and current Cowboys defensive coordinator had no mercy. The Cowboys defense held the Falcons offense to 214 yards – 111 passing, 103 rushing. The Cowboys also had three interceptions, two of Matt Ryan and one of Josh Rosen.
Key stat: The Cowboys scored 43 points on 11 drives. The Falcons scored three points on 12 drives.
Biggest takeaway: The Falcons are a long way from being a good football team. Their four wins have come against the Giants, Jets, Dolphins and banged-up Saints. A game against a top-level Cowboys and the result was ugly.
They said it: “We didn’t play well anywhere. It’s not about any one position across the board. We all didn’t take care of our business. We can do better than that. We need to do better than that.” – Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan
Next up: It’s a quick turnaround for the Falcons. They host the Patriots on Thursday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Game time is 8:20 p.m.
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