The first-place Falcons handled their business.
Behind some pinpoint passing from quarterback Kirk Cousins, some dazzling open field runs from Bijan Robinson and a pass rush, the Falcons defeated the Cowboys 27-21 Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Cousins completed 19 of 24 passes for 222 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He finished with a passer rating of 144.8.
“Workmanlike day,” Cousins said. “I came in at halftime and was just communicating with the teammates that it felt like a game that we were going to have to grind out. They were going to make us earn it.”
Cousins tossed touchdown passes to Drake London, Darnell Mooney and Ray-Ray McCloud. Running back Tyler Allgeier added a 6-yard touchdown run.
Robinson rushed 19 times for 86 yards. He also caught seven passes for 59 yards.
Robinson has now amassed at least 100 scrimmage yards in each of the past four games: 145 vs. Cowboys; 106 vs. the Buccaneers, 143 vs. Seahawks and 105 vs. Panthers.
“Mooney made some big plays for us,” Cousins said. “Bijan Robinson showed up in the run game, pass game quite a bit. Tyler Algeier’s touchdown run was phenomenal. Great protection. Had a lot of time on the touchdown to Ray Ray.”
The Falcons got sacks from Arnold Ebiketie, Grady Jarrett and Kaden Elliss and had eight quarterback hits.
“The pass rush, that was absolutely outstanding to see that come to life, right,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “To see your practice-preparation and your practice-performance become game-reality like it did today for the pass rush is something that you like to see.”
Ebiketie had three quarterback hits to go with his sack.
“It felt good,” Ebiketie said of his first sack of the season. “It felt like it took forever. It definitely did.”
Elliss was awarded a game-ball after racking up 13 tackles. He also had three quarterback hits to go with his sack. He also had two tackles for losses.
“It was amazing,” Elliss said. “We stayed the course. We still haven’t arrived yet. Never too high. Never too low. Just keep stepping.”
Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott left the game with a hamstring injury. Cooper Rush closed out the game for the Cowboys.
The Falcons improved to 6-3 on the season, while the Cowboys dropped to 3-5.
But the win may have been costly, as London left the game in the first quarter with a right hip injury and did not return. Jarrett left with an Achilles strain.
The Falcons are off to their best start since 2016. If they win next week, they’ll be off to their best start since 2012 because they lost their 10th game in 2016. In 2012, the Falcons started the season 9-1 and would reach the NFC Championship game.
Behind some hot passing from Cousins, the Falcons held a 14-10 lead at halftime. Cousins tossed two touchdown passes and completed 13 passes in a row at one point.
The Falcons’ opening drive was derailed by a holding penalty on center Ryan Neuzil. Dallas started fast behind a 27-yard pass play to tight end Jake Ferguson, who faked out Falcons’ linebacker Nate Landman. The drive stalled at the 16-yard line and kicker Brandon Aubrey made a 34-yard field goal to put the Cowboys up 3-0.
The Falcons ripped off gains of 22, 16 and 18 yards. Four plays later, Cousins tossed a 9-yard touchdown pass to London to make it 7-3. He landed awkwardly on his right hip and never returned.
“Unbelievable catch by Drake on the touchdown,” Cousins said. “That’s really what he does, among other things so well, is that jump ball, high-point, contested-catch, strong hands. Love playing with a guy like that. Being able to just put the ball up and let him go get it.
“I told him that we really had enough plays like that this year. I told him that earlier this week when we were meeting. It was fun to see that come alive in the game for a touchdown. Now, we just have to keep going.”
The Cowboys were forced to punt after two sacks – yes, two sacks – by the Falcons. Ebiketie on second down and Jarrett on third down. It was Ebiketie’s first sacks of the season.
The Falcons lost the ball on a sack-strip by Dallas defensive end Carl Lawson, that was recovered by safety Donovan Wilson. Lawson played at Milton High and Auburn.
Elliss sniffed out Dallas’ jet sweep on fourth down-and-1 to get the ball back for the offense.
The offense overcame a holding penalty by Jake Matthews when Cousins tossed a 36-yard strike to Darnell Mooney for a touchdown. Wide receivers KhaDarel Hodge and McCloud ran inside and created room for Mooney to break wide open. The score made it 14-3.
Prescott got free for a 22-yard scramble and later was on the moved when he tossed a 4-yard pass to Rico Dowdle, who tipped the ball up and eventually caught it.
On the Falcons’ first possession of the third quarter, Cousins tossed an 11-yard touchdown pass to McCloud.
“It’s so fun to be a progression passer and have an offensive line that really gives you the time to tick through (the progressions),” Cousins said. " Great job there.”
Dallas added a 57-yard field goal by Aubrey. Allgeier scored on his 6-yard run.
Rush threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Tolbert with 1:28 to play. He threw a two-point conversion to CeeDee Lamb.
Kyle Pitts recovered the declared onsides kick and the Falcons ran out the clock.
Jarrett gave a post-game update.
“Precautionary,” Jarrett said. “We’ll see going forward how serious it is and what I’m dealing with. But the mindset is precautionary.”
The Falcons are set to play Saints (2-7) at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
“There are still things to correct obviously,” Landman said. “A lot of things to learn from. Good things and bad things. Excited for this stepping stone to move on to next week against the Saints. Credit to the Cowboys. They gave us their best shot and we came out on top. That’s just the NFL.”
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