By Don Stone - Football Atlanta
The undefeated Falcons have another one of
those games that you are measured by if you are to gain respect around the
country...something that, so far, many are not giving. The opening game of
the season against Peyton Manning and
the Denver Broncos was one. They passed that test. Many thought they would
stumble when they had to go on the road to San Diego on short rest. Passed
again. Last week, the stat was repeated often that Andy Reid
was 13-0 as Eagles head coach when coming off a bye week. Now he's 13-1 as
Atlanta won on the road in Philadelphia for the first time sine 1988.
Now a Cowboys team comes in that is very talented but mistake
prone. Reading local press in Dallas, there is a ton of discontent with
Jerry Jones' 3-4 team with many saying
they should be more like Atlanta. The defensive coordinator, Rob
Ryan, predicted a victory over the Falcons.
"I know the record is not what we want it to
be, but the ball is bouncing strange ways," he said. "When that thing starts
evening out, we're going to be great, and we're going to keep playing. We've
got to win this week, and we know it, and we're going to."
So, we'll see. Gametime is just around the corner. We know that
Atlanta has the second best home record in the NFL outside of the Patriots
since Mike Smith has taken over. We
know the Dome will be rocking. And we know about all of the nicknames for
the Cowboys' quarterback..."Tony Throwmo," "Tony So-So," "Oh, No, Ro-Mo,"
"Turnover Tony," all pointing out Tony Romo's
propensity for falling short in big games and turning the ball over. And,
that, may well be the difference in this game. Dallas has an NFC-worst minus
eleven differential (league-wide, this puts them ahead of only the
Chiefs astonishing minus eighteen). Romo had five picks vs. the Bears
and four against the Giants. The Falcons place fourth at +10 with a record
of 31-2 when they have a takeover advantage, best in the NFL.
As usual, Dallas had a decent amount of fans on hand of the 70,840,
enough to make a lot of noise. Apart from the Saints, they have
traditionally had the biggest contingency of fan support here. Their team
rewarded them with a good start as they held Atlanta to a quick three and
out to open the game. Tat was followed by a 37 yard punt return by
Dwayne Harris, giving the Cowboys outstanding
starting field position at the AF 32. Miles Austin
caught passes for nine and five. Dez
Bryant got ten. The defense held and Dallas
scored first 3-0.
The Falcons first six plays netted one yard with the help of a
first down on a penalty. But, it was the seventh that counted as
Julio Jones made a spectacular catch for 38
yards. Roddy White took the cue and
got 10 more followed by an off sides penalty taking them to the 13 where the
drive stalled where the normally reliable Matt Bryant
missed a 37 yarder. Lots of yards, no points.
Jason Witten started the drive with
a catch that was nullified by a holding penalty giving the Cowboys a first
and 20 at the 17. Then it was Romo's turn for a bomb hitting Kevin
Ogletree for 65 yards all the way to
Atlanta's 18. Again, the defense held, forcing another field goal for 32
yards, putting Dallas up 6-0.
White started the next drive with a pickup of 20 yards to the 45.
He converted a third down for 18 more to the DC 32. The first quarter ended
as a battle of field goals with the Cowboys winning 2-0.
Another field goal started the second quarter. This time Bryant
connected from 45 to make it 6-3.
The Cowboys were driving when a Romo pass was picked off, but not
counted due to a Falcons penalty giving the Cowboys a second chance at the
AF 40. Another was almost picked off by Asante Samuel
in the end zone. A 54 yard field goal missed.
Michael Turner had struggled
throughout the game until he picked up 8 yards to start the next drive. A
turnover almost happened when Matt Ryan
got clobbered, knocking the ball loose.
Fortunately, White fell on it. TE Michael Palmer
caught a short pass to give the Falcons a first down at the DC 43. Atlanta
could get no more and backed Dallas to their own three on a nice punt by
Bryant.
Felix Jones got them out the
hole with a catch to the 14. Austin got them 17 more to the 40. WR
Cole Beasley pulled one in for 8 more to midfield at the two minute warning.
The drive stalled and Atlanta started their last drive of the half at their
12 with 1:03 to go.
A lesson for the Cowboys. Give Matt Ryan a minute and he'll find a
way to turn it into points. White contributed 20, Tony Gonzalez
22 more, leaving just enough time for Bryant to put it through the uprights
from 46 yards to tie the game at the half, 6-6. In that mere minute of play,
Ryan moved the team 63 yards on six plays.
The first half was virtually even, like the score...Cowboys top
15:32, Falcons 14:38. Cowboys total net yards 182, Falcons 178.
The Falcons had to feel good. With not much success on offense,
they started the second half even. The defense had been great. Except for
the one 65 yard pass, Romo had been held to just 88 yards in the air with
just 12 yards total rushing.
Dallas started off with Jones gaining 15 on the ground to the 29.
Lance Dunbar gained another 18 on the
ground to the AF 47 where a sack ended the drive.
Atlanta started from their own 14 and quickly moved to the 32 on an
18 yard pass to Jones. Ryan scrambled and found White 26 yards down field to
the DF 44. On that catch, White passes Terance Mathis
for most career receptions. He added another
20 on the next play to the 24. Another sack brought up a third and 13 from
the 27. It was field goal time again and again Bryant failed.
It was Dallas' turn and Romo began moving the ball with passes to
Witten and Lawrence Vickers giving
them a first down at midfield. But, the mistake prone Cowpokes shot
themselves in the foot again with a holding call moving them back to their
36. From there, they punted again. A 56 yarder looked like it would pin the
Falcons inside their five. But, again, a penalty forced a rekick. This one
was 51 and at least got Atlanta a bit of breathing room at the 19.
White continued to get open taking the first pass for 16 yards to
the 35. Turner finally broke free from the pack and burst 43 to the DC 14.
The third quarter ended there.
Turner finished what he started with a three yard burst for the
first touchdown of the game, putting Atlanta up 13-6. He already has more
rushing touchdowns than any player in Falcons history.
Dallas still could do nothing on their next offensive series and
the Falcons began on their 20 when Jones went to work again taking a short
pass and charging half the length of the field for 48 yards to the Dallas
35. Jones then took a toss behind Ryan, threw off a tackler and rushed for 8
to the 18. Another Ryan sack cost Atlanta 9 to the 27. Turner got all of
that back with a nine yard carry. Bryant tried a 36 yarder this time and
connected, putting Atlanta up 16-6 with 7:49 to go in the game.
Cowboys had another bit of success taken away by their 6th penalty
totaling 45 yards when Dunbar took the kickoff 39 yards to the 32. But a
blocking in the back foul moved the play back to the 22. The light finally
came on for Romo who drove efficiently down the field with a series of crisp
passes, hitting Austin for 20, Jones for 6 and 14, Witten for 7 and 10,
Jones for 14, capped off by a 21 yard TD pass to Ogletree. The drive only
took 6 plays covering 78 yards in just 2:28 and brought Dallas back to
within 3, 16-13 with 5:21 still remaining.
The Falcons got a questionable offensive interference call to start
their drive giving them a first and 10 at their 10. Turner got half of it
back on a 10 yard rush. The next play was a big one. If Atlanta didn't
convert a third and six, they would have to give a resurgent Dallas offense
a short field with just over three minutes to go. But, Jacquizz
Rodgers broke a tackle and darted 31 yards
all the way to the DC 45. At the very least, the Falcons could now eat up
some clock and make Dallas go much further when they did get the ball back.
The Cowboy boots were getting more full of holes as they committed
a defensive hold giving Atlanta a first and 10 at the DC 38. Dallas had to
use their final time out. Rodgers game them another crucial third down
conversion when he made a few smooth moves taking giving them first and 10
at the 22. Just as important, the clock was running to the two minute
warning.
Atlanta got it to the 14 and watched as the clock dwindled down to
22 seconds. They used up 4:59 seconds of clock on the drive. Bryant's 32
yard field goal gave the Cowboys just 17 seconds with no time outs to go 80
yards to make up the six point deficit.
A few short passes to the sidelines were all the defense would give
Romo as time ran out and the Falcons found still another way to come away
with a win and remain undefeated at 8-0. More of the national respect they
sought would come their way. Not all of it but more than before. Next up a
big trip to New Orleans for the first of two meetings with the rival Saints
this month.
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