Cowboys at Falcons: Dallas gets revenge win in Atlanta
The Dallas Cowboys were able to get a crucial victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday setting up a big Thanksgiving Day matchup.
It was a back-and-forth grudge match between the 4-5 Dallas Cowboys and the 4-5 Atlanta Falcons on Sunday afternoon. The two teams swapped field goals and punts through the first half, with the Falcons entering halftime possessing a 6-3 lead.
The second half saw the Cowboys jump to a 19-9 lead in the fourth quarter before the Falcons were able to tie the game in the final moments. It took one last game-winning drive by Dallas and a Brett Maher field goal to seal the victory over Atlanta. It was a revenge win for Dallas who were massacred to the tune of 27-7 at this same time last season by the Falcons.
The biggest difference for the Cowboys this go-around? The presence of running back Ezekiel Elliott, who was suspended during their previous matchup. Elliott ran for 122 and a touchdown on 22 carries in the win. Zeke also led the team in catches with seven receptions for 79 yards.
Quarterback Dak Prescott threw for 208 yards through the air, completing 22 of his 32 passes. He also rushed for a score. Slot receiver Cole Beasley racked up five catches for 51 yards. And wideout Amari Cooper posted three receptions for 36 yards.
Cowboys rookie linebacker Leighton Vander Esch had another stellar performance. The NFC Defensive Player for Week 10 recorded eight total tackles, an interception and three pass defends in Dallas’ big road victory. It was his second pick in as many games. Safety Xavier Woods led the team with nine combined tackles.
Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence registered 1.5 sacks in the win. Pass rusher Randy Gregory also posted a sack. And defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford had half a sack.
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Now, it will be a short four-day turnaround for the 5-5 Dallas Cowboys as they’ll play the 6-4 Washington Redskins at AT&T Stadium on Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 22 at 3:30 p.m. CST on FOX. With a win, the Cowboys could take the led in the NFC East.