In what felt like a must-win game for the Dallas Cowboys, they fell short with a 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9. By the end of the matchup, it felt like two teams heading in very different directions. The Falcons (6-3) now appear to be one of the best teams in the NFC, while the Cowboys (3-5) continue to look worse by the week.
The loss to Atlanta marked the third straight defeat for Dallas, part of one of the worst stretches for the franchise in quite some time. Even before the game began, the Cowboys were without running back Ezekiel Elliott due to “disciplinary reasons.” By the time the game ended on Sunday, Dallas' roster had suffered even bigger hits, with injuries to both quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, among others. The injury list for this Cowboys team is getting longer by the week.
Injuries to two of their star players undoubtedly hurt the Cowboys' chances in this game. However, it wasn’t just injuries that led to Dallas’ fifth loss of the season. There’s plenty of blame to go around, starting with coach Mike McCarthy.
Mike McCarthy's decision making was questionable against the Falcons
Entering the season, it was clear that Mike McCarthy would be coaching for his job all year long. Even though Cowboys owner Jerry Jones doesn’t often make early coaching changes, McCarthy was—and still is—on the hot seat.
In Week 9 against the Falcons, McCarthy likely didn’t help his case. After the Cowboys forced a Kirk Cousins fumble early in the second quarter at their own 33-yard line, Dallas had a chance to take the lead. Unfortunately, the Cowboys only advanced just past midfield before facing a fourth-and-1 situation.
McCarthy decided to go for it, opting for a run with CeeDee Lamb that resulted in a three-yard loss, giving the ball back to Atlanta. The Falcons capitalized five plays later, extending their lead to 14-3. McCarthy was shown on the sideline afterward, visibly frustrated and smashing a tablet in anger.
That wasn't the only questionable move made by McCarthy on the day.
Receiving the ball to start the second half and trailing 14-10, the Cowboys managed just four plays before facing a fourth-and-2 at their own 38-yard line. So, what did McCarthy decide to do? He attempted a fake punt, which resulted in an incomplete pass. And what did Atlanta do? Scored five plays later on one of Cousins’ three touchdown passes of the day.
Both decisions reeked of desperation, illustrating where the Cowboys are at this point in the season. Perhaps McCarthy felt compelled to use every trick in the book to beat Atlanta, but these moves did nothing but set the Cowboys back even further.
Trevon Diggs fails to lineup correctly, resulting Falcons touchdown
Though McCarthy deserves the brunt of the blame for Sunday’s loss, Trevon Diggs also contributed to a costly Falcons touchdown. After the Falcons stopped the Cowboys’ fourth-down attempt that turned the ball over on downs, Atlanta faced a fourth-down situation of their own.
At the Dallas 36-yard line, Atlanta found themselves in a fourth-and-3 and decided to go for it. Unlike their counterpart, they converted in a significant way, taking a 14-10 lead. This was partly due to Diggs being confused by the Falcons’ formation; he didn’t line up properly and covered the wrong man, leaving Darnell Mooney wide open for a 36-yard touchdown reception.
Overall, the Cowboys were disastrous on fourth down on both sides of the ball against the Falcons. Offensively, they converted just 1-of-5 attempts, while defensively, they couldn’t stop Atlanta, who went 2-for-2.
What now for the Cowboys?
In the end, this has to be an incredibly frustrating experience for the Cowboys. They matched up fairly well with Atlanta, as the Falcons outgained them by only 68 yards of total offense. Dallas even managed to rush for 137 yards—a season-high—averaging 6.5 yards per carry. They also avoided any turnovers, compared to the Falcons’ one lost fumble.
What’s next for the Cowboys is one of the toughest stretches of their season: hosting the Eagles and Texans, followed by a road game against the Commanders. Already, after Week 9, the Cowboys have matched their loss total from each of the past three seasons.
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