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Atlanta Falcons Soar with Kirk Cousins at the Helm, Cowboys Lassoed

Kirk Cousins: A New Hope in Atlanta

The Atlanta Falcons, whose need for a top-tier quarterback was evident in their recent seasons, have found their knight in shining armor in Kirk Cousins. The gifted quarterback powered the Falcons to a 27-21 triumph over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, consolidating their lead in the NFC South. This loss is the Cowboys’ third consecutive one, and they also had to deal with the injury of their quarterback, Dak Prescott.

Cousins exhibited his prowess by completing 19 out of 24 passes for 222 yards, including a streak of 13 consecutive completions. With this, the Falcons (6-3) are flying high on his three touchdowns, each to Drake London, Darnell Mooney, and Ray-Ray McCloud. His teammates are all praises for him, with McCloud crediting him for his knowledge and composure.

Falcons Looking Forward to a Bright Future

The 36-year-old Cousins, who joined the Falcons with a hefty four-year, $180 million contract, is rightfully optimistic about the potential of the team. While he’s not celebrating just yet, it’s evident that he feels a unique camaraderie developing within a team that hasn’t seen a winning season since 2017.

Tyler Allgeier’s touchdown from 6 yards out, with just over 11 minutes left, sealed the Falcons’ fifth win in six games. The Cowboys (3-5), in contrast, couldn’t stage a successful comeback despite Cooper Rush’s efforts after Prescott was ruled out.

Dallas Cowboys: A Series of Unfortunate Events

The Cowboys are enduring their longest losing streak since a four-game skid in the 2020 season. Their woes were compounded by a seemingly unending series of mishaps, including a failed fake punt, a three-yard loss due to a CeeDee Lamb sweep, and a fumbled coverage that left Mooney open for his touchdown catch.

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy is likely to face increased scrutiny after this performance, with the Cowboys’ offensive line yielding three sacks to the Falcons. Prescott’s health adds to their concerns, with a scheduled MRI on Monday to assess his hamstring injury.

Teams Rally Despite Injuries

Despite losing top receiver Drake London to a hard landing on his right hip, the Falcons’ Mooney and McCloud stepped up, with the former recording five catches for 88 yards and the latter scoring his first TD of the season.

On the defensive front, Falcons’ linebacker Kaeden Ellis shone with a team-high 13 tackles, earning a game ball from coach Raheem Morris for his efforts.

Upcoming NFL Showdowns

The Cowboys will be hosting the Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday in a crucial NFC East encounter, while the Falcons will be facing off against the Saints in New Orleans. The Falcons had previously won the first meeting between the two NFC South rivals, 26-24 on Sept. 29.