Quick Reactions in Week 9: Falcons duel the Cowboys

The Atlanta Falcons started their second winning streak of the season by defeating the Dallas Cowboys at the Benz. Atlanta is now 3-3 at home and 6-3 this season, with all six wins coming against NFC opponents.

The Falcons continue to push for the playoffs, giving fans more hope than ever before. Here are the week 9 quick reactions.

Kaden Elliss responds

The inside linebacker has been criticized for his subpar play this season, but Atlanta's man under center was anything but that today. Elliss came into the game as the team's leader and faced Dak Prescott the entire game. Elliss has been an effective blitz player all season, but Lake increased his chances today and the linebacker took advantage, leading the team in pressure situations and picking up his first sack of the year.

Where the Falcons most needed good play from Elliss, the inside linebacker, is where we saw him make the most progress. Elliss tracked down a crucial fourth down jet sweep for a loss. He was much more effective in coverage and while he wasn't perfect against the run, he showed much more effort and played more solidly there than most of this season.

Lake's defense overwhelms Dallas, but leaves a sour taste

I wrote an almost 100% positive paragraph before the Falcons' last defensive offensive. The soft coverage the teams were able to pull out couldn't stop the Copper Rush and Dallas' surging offense, allowing a late score. Luckily, that wasn't the case for most of this game; it was exactly the opposite. Jimmy Lake's defense harassed Mike McCarthy's offense for 90% of the afternoon. The Cowboys took a 13-3 lead on third down and a 5-1 lead on fourth down.

The Falcons gave up the third-fewest points (10) in the first half this season and the fewest since Week 2. The Falcons did the impossible and got to the quarterback three times, half the sacks they came into the games with. Atlanta applied constant pressure and eventually ended its plays with sacks. Arnold Ebiketie, Kaden Elliss and Grady Jarrett caused chaos all afternoon.

The defense remained steadfast in the final half of the second half. Even if the last impression wasn't particularly good, the defense has made real progress for what feels like the first time this season.

The number of midseason injuries continues to rise

It's that time again; Every team struggles with injuries when the hits add up, and the Falcons are no different. Troy Andersen missed his fifth straight game and Drew Dalman was unable to play after being placed on injured reserve earlier this week. The Falcons were also without two of their only rookies getting snaps, JD Bertrand and Ruke Orhorhoro. Orhorhoro has been placed on IR and will unfortunately miss at least four games.

The Falcons lost Drake London and Grady Jarrett in this game, and it is uncertain how long they could be out after today, especially Jarrett, who is reportedly suffering from a strained Achilles tendon. The Falcons' bye week can't come soon enough and, thankfully, is only a few weeks away. Atlanta needs to get healthy if it wants to continue its impressive run in 2024.

The Falcons offense continues to grow

The Atlanta Falcons have a top offense in every respect. They could have been better, but the group continued to grow every week. For the first time this year, the unit scored a touchdown every quarter. Kirk Cousins ​​was extremely efficient, going 19/24 for 222 and three touchdowns. Bijan Robinson emerged as one of the league's best offensive weapons with another 100-yard all-purpose performance. Drake London let Diggs down early, leaving the game after a breakdance celebration went wrong, but Darnell Mooney didn't miss a beat and showed that this team actually has two WR1-caliber receivers.

The team still needs to cut down on costly penalties and do a better job of sustaining its attacks even when they don't result in points, but the Falcons have a lot to be happy about as the offense continues to heat up as we head into the early winter.

This team is real

There is no excuse for this team not securing its place in dance this year. The Falcons are primed to compete for a first-round bye and take control of the NFC playoffs. There are challenges ahead, but none of them will be insurmountable. The Falcons' best shot on both sides of the ball is good enough to beat anyone. it's just a matter of execution.

If the Falcons can take care of what they can control, the sky is the limit. This team hasn't even reached its peak yet, and the expectations that come with winning haven't derailed them.

The Atlanta Falcons are in the midst of one of the best starts in franchise history. Acquiring a free agent quarterback looks to be the best signing of the offseason, and the pass rush finally showed up after being out of action all season. The Falcons have been hot all fall, and if current trends continue, they'll start the winter red-hot.