Great rivalries bring out the best in sports. Ali vs. Frazier, New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox, and Balboa vs. Creed. One of the more strange growing rivalries in sports is Dak Prescott lead Dallas Cowboys versus the Atlanta Falcons. The last three match ups has an all time great come back, 400 yard passing game, a pass rusher with six sacks in one contest.
Dak Prescott V. Atlanta Falcons I
This marked the first game of Ezekiel Elliott’s six game suspension in 2017. Elliott’s suspension hurt the team that actually was 5-3 coming into Atlanta. Look no further to this game as example of those struggles. The Falcons arrived to Mercedes Benz Stadium limping to a .500 record at 4-4 having lost three of their last four.
All-Pro Left Tackle Tyron Smith missed the game with back and groin injuries. Despite, the Cowboys missing major players on offense; Dallas jumped out to a 7-0 lead. The Falcons dominated the rest of the game. Atlanta scored 27 unanswered points. Adrian Clayborn took advantage of Tyron Smith’s replacement Chaz Green. Clayborn recorded six sacks, the most that season in a single game, and tied second for most in regular season game in NFL history.
No opponent in Cowboys history has ever gotten 5 sacks in one game _ ever _ until Atlanta’s Adrian Clayborn faced LT Chaz Green this afternoon.
— David Moore (@DavidMooreDMN) November 12, 2017
Atlanta Falcons defeat Dallas Cowboys 27-7.
Dak Prescott V. Atlanta Falcons II
The Cowboys arrived in Atlanta mirroring the Falcons record of 4-5 on the season. Another November football game, both teams on the brink.
The game was a defensive struggle for three quarters. The teams traded field goals to close out the third quarter with an Atlanta Falcons lead 9-6. The Cowboys scored two touchdowns in 2 minutes early in the forth quarter. The Falcons were able to even it scoring 10 points including a last second Julio Jones touchdown. Prescott and the Cowboys were able to drive late winning the game with a field goal.
Dallas Cowboys win 22-19
Dak Prescott V. Atlanta Falcons III
Both teams came in 0-1, but a early regular season game does not have the same implication as desperate teams in the twilight of a season. However, this game literally ruined the Falcons season before it began.
The Atlanta Falcons jumped out early, after turnovers by Prescott and Elliott to a 20-0 in the first quarter. The Falcons add more points to go into halftime 29-10. This was setting up for an epic beat down. Even wildest Madden could not top occurred that day in the second half. The Falcons were shutout in the third quarter, as Cowboys cut the lead to five. The Falcon would strike back in the forth with a touch pass to Russell Gage. The Cowboys would even turn it over on downs in their own territory leading to a field goal.
The field goal gave the Falcons a 15-point lead in the 4th quarter with seven minutes left. The Cowboys score on the next possession, but miss the two point conversion. With four minutes left the Falcons just needed to run clock. The Falcons have a 3-and-out. The Cowboys scored again, however there was not enough time remaining two more possessions. The Cowboys recover the onside kick, and win by one point with field goal..never leading the game!
Cowboys win 40-39
Dak Prescott/Dallas Cowboys v. Falcons IV? The Cowboys and Falcons will play each in the 2021 season.
