The Dallas Cowboys visited the Atlanta Falcons for Week 9’s festivities and in typical fashion for America’s Team, gave fans a storyline before kickoff. Dallas scratched running back Ezekiel Elliott for disciplinary reasons ahead of Sunday’s contest, creating a firestorm of sorts. However, Elliott’s presence, through two quarters, likely wouldn’t have made a difference.
At halftime, the Cowboys trail the Falcons, 14-10. Tim Heitman-Imagn Images The deficit comes despite a relatively strong performance from quarterback Dak Prescott. He completed his first nine passes (for 79 yards) of the afternoon, helping lead a scoring drive on the team’s opening possession.
After leading 3-0, Dallas surrendered a touchdown to Atlanta receiver Drake London to cap off a seven-play, 78-yard drive. The Cowboys quickly punted the ball back to the Falcons, but got its first defensive flash of Week 9 when edge rusher Carl Lawson forced a fumble on quarterback Kirk Cousins . However, Dallas was unable to do much with the opportunity – receiver CeeDee Lamb was unable to convert a fourth-down rush.
Atlanta, meanwhile, took advantage of a suspect defense missing edge rusher Micah Parsons and cornerback DaRon Bland. On fourth-and-three, a coverage bust let receiver Darnell Mooney sneak past the defense for an easy 36-yard score, helping push the Falcons’ lead to 14-3. On the ensuing Dallas drive, a Prescott scramble pushed the Cowboys into the red zone, rushing for 22 yards after a del.
