Photo by Andre Odums/ossports
A terrible beginning ended on an emotional thrill ride.
Greg Zuerlein kicked a 36-yard field goal with no time left to lift the Cowboys, 40-39 to a thrilling comeback win over the upstart Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at AT&T Stadium.
With 1:48 left, the Cowboys took possession at its 46. After an incomplete pass, Dak Prescott found his target in CeeDee Lamb at the Falcons 30. The next two plays were about field position aiding the winning kick. That meant two handoffs to Ezekiel Elliott, who took his second carry to the middle of the field at the 28. Prescott spiked the ball on the next play to kill the clock with four seconds left. Finally, Zuerlein’s nailed a 36-yard walk-off field goal as the Cowboys sideline erupted, pouring on to the field.
C. J. Goodwin made the Cowboys dance to its finish a little sweeter after recovering an onside kick at the Dallas 46.
As the kick left the foot of Zuerlein, Atlanta had time to pounce on the slowly spinning ball before it reached the ten-yard mark. Dallas followed the ball until it reached the ten-yard mark before Goodwin dived on the loose ball.
Prescott finished 47-of-34 with 450 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. Elliott carried the ball 22 times for 89 yards and a touchdown. Lamb had six catches for 106 yards, Cooper caught six passes for 100 yards, and Schultz grabbed nine passes for 88 yards and a score.
Safety Xavier Woods and defensive end Everson Griffen made big plays when Dallas needed them most. Woods dropped Todd Gurley for a loss of three yards at the 32, and Griffen sacked Ryan at the 27 for a five-yard loss. On the next play, Ryan completed a pass to receiver Olamide Zacchaeus at the 37, well short of the first down, forcing the Falcons to punt.
That set up the Cowboys 76 yard drive with 2:57 remaining. Cooper reeled in an 11-yard pass from Prescott. Two plays later, Dallas has negated an opportunity to have the ball in Atlanta’s territory after officials sited Lamb for a blindside block, moving the ball back to the Cowboys 43.
On the same possession, Lamb made up for the mistake by reeling in a pass from Prescott at the Falcons 37. That followed receiver Michael Gallup’s 32-yard reception at Atlanta’s five-yard line. Elliott carried the ball once before the two-minute warning. Prescott capped the drive with a one-yard sneak, drawing Dallas within two points, 39-37, following Zuerlein’s extra-point kick with 1:49 left.
Despite the momentum sided with the Cowboys, Atlanta’s secondary played well, but Dallas executed at its most opportune times.
Atlanta continued to hold the driver’s seat as it put together a 74-yard scoring drive. Ryan’s 22-yard pass to tight end Hayden Hurst at the Cowboys 48 sprung the Falcons. Several plays later Ryan’s eight-yard touchdown pass to Russell Gage gave Atlanta a 12-point lead, 36-24 with 14:23 left in the fourth quarter.
Matt Ryan passed for 273 yards on 36-of-24 attempts and four touchdowns. Calvin Ridley reeled seven passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns.
Earlier in the game, Atlanta quickly turned Cowboys miscues into 20 first-quarter points. Linebacker Deion Jones was at the center of two big plays, sacking Prescott and causing a fumble when he rip through the offensive line and grabbed Prescott‘s arm on third and six.
The Cowboys played about as bad as a team could, turning the ball over four times in the first quarter and suffering 30 in penalties in the first half. It was also unsuccessful on two fake punts.
No one could verify if the gifts given to Atlanta came as a surprised or later licking its wounds after not turning its three first-half field goals into touchdowns.
After its first two series, the Falcons scored on its next six drives, which included three touchdowns and three field goals all in the first half.
Dallas found its rhythm in the third quarter, opening a 76-yard frame. Prescott delivered a ten-yard pass to Elliott before spotting Lamb for a big play at the Falcons 23. On the next play, tight end Dalton Schultz caught a pass at the five, and two plays later, Prescott rushed in from two yards out. The score, 29-17 after Zuerlein’s extra point kick.
Then Atlanta progressed the ball downfield, but the drive stalled, leaving Prescott and company back in business. Cooper’s one-handed highlight-reel catch gave the Cowboys a first down at Atlanta’s 17. Eventually, Prescott would finish the drive with a one-yard scoring run, trimming the deficit, 29-24 with the Falcons leading.
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