ARLINGTON, Texas - This was a game full of big plays, on offense, defense and even special teams.
The highlight reel will show many of them, but here are a few plays that may go overlooked. While the Cowboys finished the game in control, winning 37-21, it might have been a different story without some of these plays.
D-Ware Sack & Fumble
The Cowboys already trailed 7-0 and the Falcons were driving for more on the Dallas 31. That's when DeMarcus Ware turned the game around, knocking the ball out of Matt Ryan's hand for a sack and forced fumble, with Anthony Spencer recovering at the Cowboys' 41. On the next play, Romo hit Miles Austin for a 59-yard touchdown to tie the game. From there, the Cowboys kept the momentum in their favor.
Choice and Bennett On Third Down
With Cowboys leading 10-7 and driving for a score late in the first half, Tony Romo hit Tashard Choice over the middle for a 23-yard gain on third-and-eight. He later found Martellus Bennett for 15 yards on a third-and-14 to keep things going.
Romo Being Romo
OK, so touchdowns usually don't make this list but this play completely changed the game. Tony Romo was nearly sacked three times late in the first half, and had he been, with no timeouts the Cowboys would not have been able to kick a field goal and the half would've ended with a 10-7 Cowboys lead. Instead, Romo finds a way out of the mess and then hits Crayton for a touchdown pass in the back of the end zone. Should've been 10-7, instead it's 17-7 at the half.
An Answer To Austin
Just after Atlanta had sliced the Cowboys lead to 17-14 after a touchdown, Tony Romo came right back with a 32-yard pass to Miles Austin down the left sideline. Austin was able to keep his feet in bounds while he hauled in the pass to the Falcons' 48. That got the Cowboys out of a hole and back in business again. Just a few plays later, Austin scored again on a 22-yard touchdown and the Cowboys again had a two-score lead.
Ratliff Sack and Fumble
On the stat sheet, it'll go down as just a five-yard loss and a forced fumble that the Falcons recovered. But with the Cowboys leading 27-14, it put the Falcons in a hole from which they couldn't recover and it forced a punt. That punt was returned perfectly by Patrick Crayton for a 73-yard touchdown that proved to be the knockout blow.
*****
Lots of big plays in this game, but the Cowboys had a few that went their way, helping them come away with a huge 16-point win over the Falcons to put both teams at 4-2.
Home | Email | Print | Register for New Alerts | RSS