How Atlanta Falcons Attack Reeling Dallas Cowboys Defense

The Dallas Cowboy are hoping to get healthier heading to take on the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons is questionable heading into Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The first-place Atlanta Falcons host the Dallas Cowboys this week. Fresh off  another win versus Tampa Bay to sweep the season series, Atlanta turns its sights to placing distance between themselves and some of the other NFC playoff hopefuls. 

Enter the Dallas Cowboys. 

At 3-4, "America's Team" limps into the city, looking to shake loose the misfortune that continues to follow them. While the 'boys possess a litany of questions, no clear answers currently exist. With that said, how should the Falcons attack the Dallas defense?

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Parsons Availability

All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons missed the last two games with a high ankle sprain. Whether he plays on Sunday vs. Atlanta remains up in the air. However, the Falcons still need to prepare for him, just in case. With a high ankle sprain, that could hamper Parsons’s ability to move laterally. 

As a result, Dallas may use him exclusively as a situational pass rusher to ease him back into the flow. The Falcons still need to chip him before the back or tight end releases into the pattern. Make Parsons work on that injured ankle. 

Giving him single-blocking does not make sense. The Cowboys lack another quality pass rusher, so eliminating their only perimeter threat opens up everything else in the passing game. 

Attack Vertically

Now that Kyle Pitts decided to join the scoring category this season, he becomes that much more important. With Drake London and Darnell Mooney operating on the outside, Pitts down the seam makes the most sense. 

You will hear pundits and press alike mention the threat to the passing game that Trevon Diggs brings. While presenting with excellent ball skills, Diggs remains far from the best corners in the NFL. Why? First, though better this season he’s historically surrendered yards by the truckload. 

Teams do not fear him and will let their receivers go vertical, leading to big plays. Additionally, Diggs misses an obscene number of tackles, grabbing air and not opponents. 

Missing 23.5% of tackles according to PFF means Diggs will more than likely whiff, leading to a player shedding an attempt and ripping off a long gain. Equally important, Dallas defense surrenders 28.3 points per game, good enough for second-worst in the NFL.  

Atlanta's No. 7 offense should have their way with Dallas' defense due to the Cowboys' struggles and an injury to a star player.

Dallas has the second-worst rush defense in the NFL, an early dose of Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier will open up the deep shots off play action. 

Bottom Line

The Atlanta Falcons, from the first half of the regular season, look like a legitimate contender to win their division. With an undefeated record in the NFC South (4-0) and only two games remaining inside the division, the Falcons sit in the catbird seat, when it comes to records. 

Dallas looks up at strong Eagles and Commanders teams. Everything needs to go right for them to climb out of the abyss. The defense will play with heightened desperation. 

With that in mind, look for the Falcons to test Dallas, allowing the receivers and even the backs to get free in space and pressure the Cowboys into making sound football decisions, something that eluded them all season.

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