Falcons vs Cowboys Week 10 Picks and Preview: Matt Ryan, Dak Prescott Square Off in NFC Duel

(Photo : Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - NOVEMBER 07: Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons reacts during the fourth quarter in the game against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome on November 07, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The Dallas Cowboys have won their last two games against the Atlanta Falcons. The Cowboys hope to extend that dominance in Week 10 when they square off with the Falcons at the AT&T Stadium. Who will emerge victorious in the Falcons vs Cowboys clash? Check our preview to see who has the edge in this NFC showdown.

Atlanta Falcons installed as +9 underdogs

The Atlanta Falcons will head to their showdown against the Dallas Cowboys with momentum on their side after beating the New Orleans Saints, 27-25, in Week 9. It was a huge bounce-back win for the Falcons, who suffered a gut-wrenching 19-13 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 8.

The victory helped the Falcons move back to .500 for the season with a 4-4 record, just two games behind leaders Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South standings. The win did not come easy for the Falcons, though, who squandered a huge 18-point lead late in the fourth quarter.

The Saints went on a blistering 19-0 run, turning a 24-6 deficit into a 25-24 lead with 1:01 remaining in the contest. The Falcons responded immediately with Matt Ryan finding Cordarelle Patterson with a 64-yard pass, putting Atlanta in field goal range with less than a minute left in the game.

Biggest players in this game:

🔥 Matt Ryan: 23-30 for 343 yards, 2 TD
🔥 Cordarelle Patterson: 9 rushes for 10 yards, 6 catches for 126 yards
🔥 Olamide Zaccheaus: 3 catches for 58 yards, 2 TD

pic.twitter.com/NLXBgzCIz4
— PFF ATL Falcons (@PFF_Falcons) November 7, 2021

Younghoe Koo made sure Ryan and Patterson's heroics did not go to waste, kicking the game-winning 29-yard field goal as time expired to hand Atlanta the all-important victory. Ryan was outstanding in this contest, passing for 343 yards and also running for another score.

He will be licking his chops at the prospect of facing a Cowboys defense that was exposed in the loss to the Broncos. Denver racked up 407 total yards in the win against Dallas, 217 of which came through the air.

Dallas Cowboys enter Week 10 as -9 favorites

The Dallas Cowboys had their six-game winning streak snapped in Week 9 with a humiliating 30-16 loss to the Denver Broncos. It was a disappointing defeat for the Cowboys, who lost for the first time at home this season. They now hold a 3.5-game lead over the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants in the NFC East standings.

For the Cowboys to return to the win column in Week 10, they will need to start strong against the Falcons. They had a horrible start in the loss to Denver, with the Broncos scoring the game's first 30 points. The Cowboys just made the score respectable in the end, racking up two consolation touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

What in tarnation happened to the Cowboys?!

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/eA3g00oqOu
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 7, 2021

It is important for Dallas that Dak Prescott gets his game going quickly against Atlanta. He struggled in his first game back since returning from a calf injury, completing just 19 of 39 passes for 232 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

The Broncos put the clamps on the Cowboys on late downs, with Dallas going just 5 of 13 on third downs and 0 for 4 on fourth down opportunities. Such was the dominance of the Broncos in this matchup that the Cowboys only had 18 minutes and 48 seconds of possession time in the Week 9 clash.