Falcons Could Use Adrian Clayborn-Like Performance vs. Dallas Cowboys

NFL journeyman Adrian Clayborn challenged the NFL's most sacks in one game record against the Dallas Cowboys in 2017.

Atlanta Falcons defensive end Adrian Clayborn / Jason Getz-Imagn Images

For one game, Adrian Clayborn was one of the most unblockable forces the NFL has ever seen.

In Week 9 seven years ago, Clayborn brought down Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott six times. Clayborn also had 3 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles and a fumble recovery, as he led the Atlanta Falcons to a dominating 27-7 victory in the first Falcons-Cowboys matchup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Clayborn's 6 sacks broke the Falcons franchise sack record for an individual game. Chuck Smith posted 5 sacks against the New Orleans Saints in October 1997.

Ironically, the Cowboys will once again visit Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Week 9 on Nov. 3. Maybe that will a positive omen for the Falcons, who haven't beaten Dallas since 2017.

Over the past six seasons, the Falcons are 0-3 against the Cowboys, including 0-1 at home. The last two defeats versus the Cowboys in Dallas were embarassing for the Falcons in very different ways.

In 2020, the Falcons blew 15-point lead in the final seven minutes of the fourth quarter. The collapse included Atlanta failing to recover a Dallas onside kick attempt in the final two minutes of regulation.

Then in 2021, the Falcons lost 43-3 to Dallas. The Cowboys dominated with former Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn as their defensive coordinator.

To end that three-game losing streak versus Dallas, the Falcons could sure use a boost from their pass rush like the one Clayborn supplied against the Cowboys in 2017. Clayborn was one sack shy of the NFL record.

On paper, the Falcons don't have an edge rusher capable of challenging the NFL individual game sack record. In fact, Atlanta has just 6 sacks in eight games this season. The entire team combining for 6 sacks in Week 9, let alone one player, would be extremely newsworthy.

But Clayborn wasn't exactly a prime candidate for a sack record either. In his first six seasons before his record-setting performance, he had 20.5 sacks in 65 games.

In his 10-year career, Clayborn had more than 6 sacks in a season just once other than 2017.

Obviously, no NFL team should ever count on a defender recording 6 sacks in a game. But the Falcons will take any sign of life from their pass rush at this point. A breakout performance this weekend from a veteran such as Grady Jarrett, Matthew Judon or David Onyemata would be viewed in the similar fashion as Clayborn's was seven years ago.

It would also be a sight for very sore eyes.