As the Cowboys prepare for another road game this Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, they have a lot of pressure on them to win this game and get back to .500.
To do that, though, they are going to need to figure out how to move the football more constantly and find a way to create some turnovers. They are the worst in football in turnover ratio.
The Falcons have a balance attack on offense, and if Dallas is without Micah Parsons again, this may create a stat that will be in the Cowboys record books for the wrong reason forever.
What Could That Be?
We all know this season has been giving off Mike Nolan vibes on defense, and they can’t stop a cold if they tried.
Last week they gave up 223 yards on the ground to the 49ers, 190 yards in week two to the Saints, 184 to the Detroit Lions and the most this season to the Ravens when they surrendered 274 to Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson.
This week, they face another backfield that might just break a terrible record for this team.
The most rushing yards allowed by a Dallas Cowboys team ever was 294 rushing yards back in 2020 when Mike Nolan was calling the plays.
Dallas now has to deal with two running backs this week that have more rushing yards than anyone in the Cowboys backfield. Bijan Robinson has 116 carries for 546 yards and four touchdowns.
Their backup, Tyler Allgeier, only has 68 carries, but has still logged 352 rushing yards. More than anyone Dallas has on the roster. He is a BACKUP.
What Could Go Wrong?
That is a question that does not really need to be asked. A Dallas Cowboys team record is very well in jeopardy this weekend.
That backfield with no Micah Parsons and a defensive tackle in Mazi Smith, who ranks dead last at his position on PPF, could allow the most rushing yards by a Cowboys team in the Super Bowl era.
Mike Zimmer did a decent job in the first half against the 49ers, but fell apart in the third. We saw him run a lot of six-man fronts to try and slow down that rushing attack, and it worked until it didn’t.
Nothing is going to help them right now, and with a Falcons team that scores a lot of points, if they try and load up and stop the run.
Kirk Cousins and Drake London will be licking their chops. Dallas better hope they get DaRon Bland back, because this is going to be a long afternoon if not.
Mike McCarthy’s offense can not keep the scoring pace with these guys.
Underdogs
Moneyline (ML): Cowboys +120 (bet $100 to win $120) | Falcons -145 (bet $145 to win $100).
Against the spread (ATS): Cowboys +2.5 (-105) | Falcons -2.5 (-115).
Dallas is 2-5 against the spread this season, but both of these covers have come on the road (2-2 ATS on the road overall). Atlanta is 1-4 against the spread at home this season, so something will need to give between these two NFC squads.
The Falcons have won four of their last five games and have scored at least 26 points in all four of those wins. Meanwhile, Dallas has allowed at least 25 points in three of their last five games and has gone 2-3 in those matchups.
The Cowboys are going to lose this game and when they do, Jerry Jones will try to feed us that he still loves this team and the coaching guy.
Changes have to be made, they should have been made after the choke in the playoffs at home last year.
He set this team up to fail, and this defense might give up the most rushing yards in team history if Micah doesn’t play.