The Cowboys’ life without Tony Romo and Dez Bryant started strong – in the first half – as Brandon Weeden completed his first nine passes against a shaky Atlanta secondary. This stretched his consecutive completions streak to 21, a team record.
Dallas took the first possession downfield for a touchdown, as Joseph Randle turned a loss of yards into a 37-yard score. The run was picked as NFL.com’s second best of the week –
Top 5 Runs (Week 3):
5. @Karlos_29_SR
4. @LataviusM
3. Alfred Blue
2. @JRAN_1
1. @AdrianPeterson http://t.co/xnXdKkTGEY— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2015
Randle would then punch in a one-yard touchdown on the next drive, extending the lead to 14-0.
After a Falcons’ score, Darren McFadden joined the rushing attack – scoring from one yard out.
Joseph Randle would get a trifecta of touchdowns, going over the top just before halftime to give the Cowboys a 28-14 lead. Unfortunately, these were the last points Dallas would score in the game.
Scott Linehan would abandon the running game in the second half, as Dallas ran the ball just five times in the closing two quarters. Atlanta got after Brandon Weeden, making him ineffective.
Terrance Williams was also virtually invisible, being targeted just twice and failing to make a reception.
Overall, the offense was certainly simpler to compensate for Weeden’s skill set. Joseph Randle and Darren McFadden will need to show that they can be consistent workhorse type backs – and not just flashy runners with big play ability.
This is what caused the Cowboys to lose in time of possession and in turn, on the scoreboard.
What does the Cowboys’ offense need to do in New Orleans? Let me know below or on Twitter @ShoreSportsNJ!
