ARLINGTON, TX - At least the preseason ended on a high note with the Dallas Cowboys picking up their first win of the exhibition schedule with a 31-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
All eyes were on Joe Milton in this one as the quarterback looked to rebound after a pair of disappointing outings in the first two preseason contests. And indeed, he did show improvement, using his legs more and also displaying a better touch on some of his throws. Milton completed 10 of 18 attempts on the night for 132 passing yards with one touchdown for a 97.5 quarterback rating. He also ran for 33 yards and a score on four tries, an average of 8.3 yards per carry.
This game also marked the debut of rookie running back Jaydon Blue, who had been out with a bruised foot/ankle. His first taste of NFL action showed promise as he rushed for 25 yards and a touchdown, but he finished the game once again on the sideline with a right ankle injury. Fellow rookie Phil Mafah continued to show his strength, running for his own score, while Deuce Vaughn led the team with 42 yards rushing as the Cowboys finished with 122 yards on the ground overall.
Atlanta was able to largely top Dallas on the stat sheet, outgaining the Cowboys 332 yards to 285, and actually had a sizeable margin in time of possession, 33:28 to 26:32. But the home team only allowed one touchdown on the night, thanks in part to a last-second goal-line stand, to secure the win.
First Quarter
After the Falcons missed a 53-yard field goal, the Cowboys took possession at their own 41 and quickly marched 59 yards in nine plays for the touchdown. It was the Milton and Vaughn show as the pair combined for 43 rushing yards during the drive, the last of those coming when Milton crossed the goal line untouched for an early 7-0 lead.
The Dallas quarterback got things going again on the team's next drive, completing three consecutive passes during the series for a combined 49 yards. Tack on a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty and the Cowboys were down to the Falcons' 15-yard line. Blue then eventually got the scoring honors bouncing off left tackle for the 1-yard touchdown.
Second Quarter
The Falcons finally got on the board when Younghoe Koo kicked a 38-yard field goal, but he did so after the Cowboys gave their opponent a little help. Cornerback Troy Pride seemingly had an interception earlier in the drive, only to have the play negated because Dallas had 12 men on the field. On the very next snap, Pride then had another would-be interception bounce out of his hands.
Before the quarter was done, though, Atlanta closed the deficit to 14-10. Taking possession at the Dallas 38-yard line with 2:19 left in the half, the Falcons soon reached the end zone when tight end Feleipe Franks was left wide open on the right sideline and then beat the defense to the pylon for the touchdown.
However, the Cowboys still had time to add to their point total, getting the ball back with 48 seconds remaining. And Milton was able to give Brandon Aubrey a chance at a 64-yard field, the kicker splitting the uprights as the clock hit zeroes to give Dallas a 17-10 advantage at the break.
Third Quarter
Milton and the Cowboys picked up right where they left off as the second half got underway. The quarterback ran for 5 yards, then threw passes of 18, 9 and 29 yards, the second of those tosses a dart to the sideline with the final one a honey of a throw to Jalen Brooks in the end zone for the touchdown. With that, Milton's night was done, leaving with a 24-10 lead.
Fourth Quarter
Koo tacked on another field goal, a 28-yarder, for the Falcons, but rookie linebacker Shemar James jumpstarted the Cowboys on Atlanta's next possession when he picked off a pass to set the offense up at the visitors' 43-yard line.
And the Cowboys took advantage with Mafah doing the heavy lifting. He first had a power run up the middle for 15 yards, which was soon followed by him bullying his way across the goal line from the 1-yard line for another Dallas touchdown.
With nothing much to do now but play out the clock, the Falcons did string together a final drive that found them with a first-and-goal at the Cowboys 4-yard line. But the Dallas defense held the line, stuffing a 1-yard try on fourth down to keep the final score at 31-13.
