Dallas (3-4) at Atlanta (5-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox
BetMGM NFL Odds: Falcons by 2 1/2
Series record: Cowboys lead 19-11.
Against the spread: Cowboys 2-5, Falcons 4-4.
Last meeting: Cowboys beat Falcons 43-3 on Nov. 14, 2021 in Dallas.
Last week: Cowboys lost at 49ers, 30-24; Falcons beat Buccaneers, 31-26.
Cowboys offense: overall (15), rush (32), pass (7), scoring (22).
Cowboys defense: overall (26), rush (31), pass (20), scoring (26).
Falcons offense: overall (7), rush (15), pass (5), scoring (12).
Falcons defense: overall (19), rush (21), pass (18), scoring (19).
Turnover differential: Cowboys minus-8, Falcons even.
Cowboys player to watch
QB Dak Prescott has thrown multiple interceptions in three consecutive games for the first time in his career. The two picks in each of those games give him eight, and he had as many interceptions as touchdown passes for the season before two fourth-quarter scoring tosses to CeeDee Lamb in the loss to the 49ers. The rash of interceptions has coincided with Dallas having difficulty taking the ball away. The Cowboys have forced just two turnovers in the past five games and are tied for 28th in the NFL with five for the season.
Falcons player to watch
Safety Jessie Bates III continues to deliver big plays in crucial situations to lead the Atlanta defense. Bates had his second interception of the season in last week’s win over Tampa Bay and also delivered a forced fumble and fumble recovery. Bates has three forced fumbles this season.
Key matchup
Dallas WR Lamb vs. Atlanta CB A.J. Terrell Jr. Lamb is Prescott’s favorite option with team-leading totals of 45 receptions for 613 yards and four touchdowns. Lamb’s 72 targets are 30 more than tight end Jake Ferguson’s runner-up total of 42. Terrell will have help from cornerbacks Mike Hughes, Clark Phillips III and Dee Alford. Terrell, who signed a four-year contract extension for a reported $81 million before the season, is tied with Bates for the team lead with two interceptions.
Key injuries
The health of star pass rusher Micah Parsons is the biggest question this week for the Cowboys. He has missed three games with a high ankle sprain, and Dallas has had trouble pressuring the quarterback without the two-time All-Pro. Parsons still wasn’t practicing at the start of the week. … The Cowboys are waiting for the season debut of CB DaRon Bland, who had surgery for a stress fracture in his foot late in the preseason. Bland set an NFL record last season with five interception returns for touchdowns. … Rookie CB Caelen Carson, Bland’s replacement to start the season, has missed the past four games with a shoulder injury. … Atlanta RG Chris Lindstrom (knee) didn’t practice at the start of the week after leaving last week’s game. … LB Troy Andersen (knee) and S Justin Simmons (hamstring) could return after being held out last week. … Rookie DE Ruke Orhorhoro (ankle) could miss the game.
Series notes
A fourth consecutive victory for Dallas would be the longest in the series since the Cowboys won the first five meetings from 1966-74. The Cowboys’ streak of three straight wins in the series includes two games in Dallas. The Falcons’ most recent win came on Nov. 12, 2017, when they beat the Cowboys 27-7 in Atlanta.
Stats and stuff
The opposing quarterbacks rank third and fourth in the NFL among qualifiers in yards passing per game. Prescott is at 263.6 to 263.3 for Kirk Cousins. … The loss to San Francisco was the 300th game of Dallas coach Mike McCarthy’s career, postseason included. He’s the 17th coach to reach that number. His record is 181-117-2. … Prescott’s rushing numbers are way down in his ninth season, but he has at least one rushing touchdown in all four of his previous meetings with Atlanta. His only game with multiple TDs on the ground was a 40-39 win over the Falcons in 2020, when he had three. … RB Ezekiel Elliott’s rushing touchdown against the Niners was his 70th with the Cowboys. He needs two for a tie with Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett for second on the club’s career list. … Lamb has 11 games with at least 10 catches, tied for the most in club history with retired TE Jason Witten. The All-Pro had his first 100-yard game of the season against the Niners, getting 146 yards and two touchdowns on a career high-tying 13 grabs. … Opposing QBs were averaging 2.81 seconds to throw against Dallas before Parsons’ injury. That number is up to 2.97 seconds since Parsons got hurt. … Cousins completed 23 of 29 passes for 276 yards and four touchdowns last week. His passer rating of 145.9 was his highest since his 150.7 rating with Washington on Sept. 24, 2017.
Fantasy tip
Falcons RB Bijan Robinson has topped 100 scrimmage yards in three straight games and has scored four touchdowns in that span. The Cowboys’ defense ranks 31st against the run, so Robinson would be a strong play even if he was not enjoying his most productive streak of games of the season.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
