The Falcons know the clock is ticking on their once promising season.
The Falcons (4-5) have a key conference matchup with the Cowboys (4-5) that could have playoff implications at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The Falcons could move up in the NFC playoffs race and get the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Cowboys with a victory.
"We'll talk big picture, and then we get right back to where we need to," Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. "Because they know that, too. It's important to say where we're at.
“It's also important to say now that we know what the big picture is, how do we focus and bring all of the details into this assignment? And that can be tough for even the very best leaders to do. So we recognize the big picture, but as importantly, we recognize right now it's time to get the details of your job, your assignment, your game plan down pat so you can play at your best over the weekend.”
The Cowboys will arrive after posting a big 27-20 win over the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles on Sunday. The Falcons lost their season opener to the Eagles 18-12 on Sept. 6.
“We have another big challenge going to Atlanta this week against a very good football team,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett told the Dallas-area media Monday. “That’s where our focus is.”
The Cowboys have been sputtering and haven’t won consecutive games this season.
Quarterback Dak Prescott has been the center of attention. His ability to process NFL defenses has been questioned along with his accuracy.
Prescott has completed 175 of 273 passes (64.1 percent) for 1,930 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. He has a passer rating of 90.8. Prescott has been sacked 32 times, tied for tops in the league with Giants quarterback Eli Manning.
The Cowboys acquired some help for him by adding wide receiver Amari Cooper in a deal before the trade deadline. While rookie wide receiver Michael Gallup from Monroe and Colorado State is still developing, Gallup has 15 catches for 275 yards and a touchdown.
Cole Beasley leads the Cowboys in receiving with 40 catches for 403 yards and touchdowns. Cooper has 11 catches for 133 yards and one touchdown in the two games since the trade from the Raiders on Oct. 22.
“He’s come in and played a lot of different spots for us,” Garrett said. “ He’s done a lot of different things. That’s helped our passing game. It’s opened up opportunities for our entire offense.”
In his first game with the Cowboys, Cooper played 50 offensive snaps (85 percent) and caught five of eight targets for 58 yards and a touchdown. Against the Eagles, he played 54 snaps (78 percent) and caught six of 10 targets for 75 yards.
But the Falcons’ challenged run defense will face another major test in Ezekiel Elliott, who’s rushed 168 times for 831 yards and four touchdowns.
Elliott, a former track star who’ll use perfect hurdling form to leap over defenders, rushed for 151 yards on 19 carries in the Cowboys’ win over the Eagles.
Elliot didn’t play in the meeting last season when the Falcons won 27-7. He was serving a player-conduct suspension.
Nick Chubb, a former Cedartown and Georgia standout, ran for 176 yards for the Browns against the Falcons on Sunday. The Browns amassed 211 rushing yards.
The Falcons last gave up more than 200 yards rushing against Carolina on Nov. 4, 2017, when they gave up 201 yards.
The 211 was the most yards the Falcons have given up since Minnesota rushed for 241 yards in a 41-28 win on Sept. 28, 2014.
“We have to be more disciplined up front,” Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett said. “Giving up 200 (yards) is not something we are proud of. We have to be better, there’s no way around it.”
The Cowboys defense has been re-tooled around linebacker Jaylon Smith and rookie Leighton Vander Esch.
Seven picks before the Falcons selected wide receiver Calvin Ridley, the Cowboys drafted Vander Esch with the 19th pick.
He had his first career interception in the win over the Eagles, made a game-saving tackle for a loss on a key third down and led the team with 13 tackles.
Vander Esch leads the Cowboys with 77 tackles.
Smith is coming around after suffering a career-threatening injury in college that hurt his draft status. Smith is the Cowboys’ second-leading tackler with 71.
Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence leads the Cowboys with 6.5 sacks.
“There are seven games to go, and we are right in the mix,” Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said. “Probably the most important part of being a professional is being able to move on.”
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