The Dallas Cowboys have misplaced their recreation and, at the very least for now, their quarterback.
The Week 9 blowouts had been the most recent two in a dysfunctional season within the ultimate 12 months of head coach Mike McCarthy's contract.
Constant pre-snap penalties, accidents and missed tackles by the Cowboys characterised a day the place the Atlanta Falcons managed the sport.
Prescott was ejected with 11:40 to play and the Cowboys had been down 14 factors.
He was formally dominated out with a hamstring damage, Prescott's throwing hand swelling and an damage on the base of the pitcher, after a day the place he was shaken greater than he has been all season.
By the point the Falcons wrapped up their 27-21 win, large receiver CeeDee Lamb was additionally questionable to return with a shoulder damage.
Lamb injured his proper shoulder within the first half, and his grimace deepened within the fourth quarter after he fell on his shoulder whereas diving for a cross in the long run zone that he did not catch.
The Cowboys fell to Three-5, whereas the Falcons improved to 6-Three, sustaining their stranglehold atop the NFC South.
Earlier than the damage moved Dallas, the Cowboys had been enjoying a irritating recreation outdoors of an inconceivable recreation.
The Cowboys struggled after taking a Three-Zero lead, the Falcons blitzed them twice on fourth down, together with a 36-yard landing on fourth-and-three, whereas Atlanta quarterback Kirk Cousins he confronted his former Cowboys head coach, defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer.
Even when the Cowboys protection held up, the complementary soccer fell quick.
Veteran Carl Lawson sacked Cousins on the primary of two first-half sacks, and Cowboys security Donovan Wilson recovered the fumble. However Dallas' offense couldn't capitalize. Dealing with fourth-and-1 from Atlanta's 44-yard line, Prescott flipped the ball to Lamb, who the Falcons stopped three yards behind the road of scrimmage.
Tensions have begun to rise for a Cowboys group that may now go greater than a month between wins. Panels broadcast on the sideline confirmed McCarthy cursing, rolling his eyes and slamming his pill to the bottom after the play he known as was reversed.
Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs' feelings had been on his sleeve as properly after Darnell Mooney's 36-yard landing run as Diggs appeared confused amongst different defenders.
However Dallas discovered an unlikely spark earlier than halftime. Regardless of a delay of recreation penalty that was known as on second-and-15, Prescott performed for simply the 10th time this season.
Prescott's 22 yards marked the longest rush of the season for a Cowboys group that ranks final within the league in dashing. Dallas additionally traveled to Atlanta with out veteran guard Ezekiel Elliott, who the group left in Dallas after Elliott reportedly missed a number of conferences. Prescott prolonged the sport by 7.08 seconds, in response to Subsequent Gen Stats, earlier than discovering working again Rico Dowdle on a play that Dowdle would catch on his again first.
Tempers calmed some, however Dallas' issues had been removed from over.
The Cowboys opened the second half with a pre-snap penalty, and struggled once more on fourth down when punter Bryan Anger tried a cross on a pretend from a deun to CJ Goodwin, who fell.
5 performs later, exploiting the Cowboys' wrestle to deal with pre-snap strikes, Cousins discovered Ray-Ray McCloud for an 11-yard landing.
The Falcons wouldn’t relinquish the lead they’d halfway by means of the primary quarter.
A landing from Cowboys backup Cooper Rush to Jalen Tolbert lower the deficit to 6 factors with lower than two minutes to play, however the Falcons defended an onside kick try and safe the victory.
Cousins continued his robust first season in Atlanta, finishing 19 of 24 passes for 222 yards and three touchdowns. Bijan Robinson led Atlanta's talent gamers with 145 yards from scrimmage, although 4 Falcons aside from himself scored: Mooney, McCloud, quarterback Tyler Allgeier and receiver Drake London.