Instant Analysis Week 2: Cowboys catch fire, suffocate Falcons 40-39

The Dallas Cowboys came back to stun Atlanta in Week 2, winning 40-39 off a Greg Zuerlein kick as time expired.

The first win of the Mike McCarthy era was a wild one, coming via last-second kick after the team was down big. This week was the shootout many expected, with the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons combining for 79 points and 950 total yards of offense.

There were many points where it looked like the Cowboys were done, but this game showed how Dallas is never truly out of it with an offense like this.

It was over when . . .

. . . Greg Zuerlein’s 46-yard field-goal attempt went through the uprights as time expired, capping off one of the most improbable Cowboys comebacks in recent memory. Trailing 20-0 in the first quarter, Dallas rally to outscore the Falcons 30-10 in the second half to steal the win.

Game balls

Game Ball No. 1: K Greg Zuerlein

It wasn’t a great day from a special teams standpoint, but Zuerlein’s two huge kicks saved the day. His (tee-less) onside kick the team recovered set them up, and his game-winning field goal brought them home.

Game Ball No. 2: TE Dalton Schultz

The third-year tight end’s previous career-receiving high was 37 yards, but he filled in for Blake Jarwin nicely in Week 2, despite his early fumble. Schultz hauled in nine catches on 10 targets for 88 yards, and scored the first touchdown of his professional career. He served as a nice underneath for Prescott throughout the game.

Game ball No. 3: QB Dak Prescott

Prescott rallied after an ugly first quarter fumble to rack up 450 passing yards (third-most in any game of his career), completing 34 of 47 passes and scoring four total touchdowns (1 passing, three rushing). He overcome a shaky offensive line to keep the team in the game, and ultimately did enough to get the win.

Key stat: 570

The Cowboys’ 570 total yards of offense are the most they put up since Week 14 of the 2018 season, a 29-23 overtime victory over Philadelphia. They needed every single one of them considering they had a -3 turnover differential and lost the time of possession battle by over seven minutes.

Quick Hits:

  • The Cowboys lost three fumbles within their first 14 offensive plays. A fourth by Tony Pollard was overturned. Those turnovers directly led to the huge hole Dallas constantly found themselves in last year, but this time, they were able to climb out, signaling this is no longer Jason Garrett’s team.
  • It obviously all worked out, but Mike McCarthy made several questionable decisions that in the moment made him look foolish. The Cowboys attempted two embarrassing fake punts that didn’t come close, and set Atlanta up with short fields that fortunately resulted only in six total points. But the game could’ve been very different had the Falcons came away with a TD on either of those drives, or if they had made a 2nd quarter two-point conversion.
  • McCarthy’s seemingly ill-timed aggressiveness also seemed to backfire after Schultz’s TD reception with five minutes left in the game. An extra point would’ve brought Dallas within 8, but instead McCarthy went for two and came up short, leaving the Cowboys down 9 and still needing two scores to win. The Cowboys won’t be bailed out by recovering an onside every week, so McCarthy will have to do a better job of putting this team in a position to win
  • LB Joe Thomas filled in nicely for Leighton Vander Esch, not seeming too out of place. He finished second to Jalyon Smith in total tackles (12, six solo, one for loss), and also recorded one QB hit. He continually seemed to make plays around the ball.
  •  It was an uncharacteristically quiet game for Julio Jones vs Dallas, who caught only two passes for 24 yards and seemingly played through injuries. His day could’ve been very different had he managed to haul in a 41-yard bomb off a Russell Gage direct snap in the third-quarter, but the ball mercifully went through his hands.
  • Next up for the Cowboys in Week 3 is the Seattle Seahawks, fresh off their Sunday Night showdown against the Patriots. The game should be a good test and measuring stick for Dallas early in the season.

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