GREEN BAY – It was an enormous check for the Detroit Lions Sunday open air for the primary time this season in wet and windy parts within the hostile surroundings that’s Lambeau Area. They handed with flying colours.

A mistake-free recreation coupled with one other full group effort from all three phases resulted in a 24-14 win as Detroit maintains first place within the NFC North and the No. 1 seed within the NFC, pushing their document to 7-1. The Lions are 2-0 within the division with spectacular highway wins at Minnesota and Inexperienced Bay.

Inexperienced Bay opened the scoring on their first drive of the sport, marching 63 yards in 14 performs however they needed to accept a Brandon McManus 30-yard discipline aim for a 3-0 lead.

Detroit countered with a powerful 13-play, 70-yard drive capped off by a 3-yard Jared Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown landing on 4th & aim. It is the sixth straight recreation by which St. Brown has caught a landing move, tying the franchise document set by Herman Moore in 1984 and giving Detroit a 7-3 lead.

Halfway via the second quarter with the Packers dealing with a 2nd & 20 at their very own 38-yard line, Packers quarterback Jordan Love threw an incomplete move to Bo Melton however Lions security Brian Department was flagged for pointless roughness for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Melton. Department was ejected for the hit and flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the best way out, which gave Inexperienced Bay the ball on the Detroit 32-yard line. Inexperienced Bay finally missed a 46-yard discipline aim to finish the drive.

Detroit pushed the result in 10-3 within the closing minute of the primary half on a Jake Bates 27-yard discipline aim.

ATLANTA – So many occasions in life, we use the phrase “on the finish of the day …”

Appears to be an all-encompassing phrase that places a bow on what simply occurred. Nicely, how about we begin speaking about “at the beginning of the day” as a result of that is what retains shedding video games for this workforce.

Positive, punching again does not appear to be an issue for the Cowboys this 12 months. Nonetheless, touchdown the primary punch, or three, has been the difficulty and as soon as once more was the distinction right here towards the Falcons.

Like in any battle, the one who strikes first – particularly with a haymaker – goes to be in management. The Falcons not solely did that, constructing a 14-3 lead that changed into 21-10, and the Cowboys simply by no means recovered.

They did not recuperate towards the Saints in any respect again in Week 2. They tried to rally towards the Ravens the following week, nevertheless it was too late. We noticed it final week towards the 49ers and once more vs. the Falcons.

Positive, the Cowboys will battle, scratch, claw and all the opposite “battle” synonyms you wish to throw on the market. However the issue is, they don’t seem to be getting the primary punch in – that means they don’t seem to be taking the battle to their opponent.

Please, please, please do not mistake this column as a “hey, not less than they fought arduous to the tip” sort of article. That is not what I am saying in any respect. The Cowboys are paid professionals and speculated to battle for the total 60 minutes.

My level is that they don’t seem to be ever first out of the blocks. And I am not speaking about kicking an early area objective and main 3-0. I am speaking about this workforce getting the ball, whether or not it is on the opening kickoff or their first possession or to start out the third quarter, and taking place and making an announcement.

It simply hasn’t occurred – in any respect this complete season – and the Cowboys are paying for it.

They’re simply not ok to play catch-up, particularly with a protection that may’t cease the run. Whenever you’re down, after all the opponent goes to run the ball, and this Cowboys workforce is not geared up to maintain enjoying from behind.

And if that does not ever get mounted this 12 months, the Cowboys will proceed having these kind of video games. Positive, it is admirable that they proceed to battle – accidents and all. I am actually not going to dismiss what I noticed from CeeDee Lamb on the market right now.

Yeah, it is really easy to imagine guys like CeeDee receives a commission after which do not give the identical effort. Nicely, if you happen to imagine that, watch these 4 quarters of soccer and surprise the place he stands on the subject. His shoulder was mainly hanging down for all the second half, and he got here out a couple of times. However he nonetheless acquired again in there to catch a two-point conversion.

I truly tweeted within the fourth quarter that he wants to return out for good. Clearly, I am not a health care provider or coach, however from the look of the harm, he gave the impression to be in an excessive amount of ache for a 14-point sport late within the fourth quarter.

Jake Ferguson was just about in the identical state of affairs it appeared, limping out and in of the sport within the second half. So yeah, they stored combating. Even Dak Prescott needed to battle for a couple of performs with the hamstring harm earlier than he was pulled from the sport.

Once more, I am not questioning their effort, coronary heart, guts, depth or something like that. They turned this sport right into a six-point end when it felt extra like a blowout. They did the identical final week towards the 49ers and in addition towards the Ravens.

However I’ve stated this assertion again and again throughout my time overlaying the Cowboys – groups can win and lose video games in the course of the week.

And it simply appears to be taking place again and again the place the Cowboys are shedding due to an absence of preparation. They are not prepared for a full 4 quarters of execution.

Even on this sport, positive, that they had a pleasant begin – by this 12 months’s requirements – and acquired a cease on the primary drive and moved the ball on offense with the primary possession. However it’s the little issues. A false begin right here, unlawful movement there, missed block right here and 12-men within the huddle there. (Actually I feel I described one drive within the third quarter). However that is the epitome of what’s hurting this workforce.

I do not assume the Falcons are head and shoulders higher than the Cowboys from a expertise standpoint, however they do not should be. Atlanta had 4 penalties for 26 yards and the Cowboys have been flagged for 9 penalties for 55 yards.

The Falcons did not precisely play clear soccer themselves with a turnover and a missed extra-point. However they appeared to capitalize on the Cowboys’ miscues after they needed to.

Whenever you add this entire factor up, the Cowboys had loads of probabilities to win this sport. However on offense they got here up quick too many occasions, on protection they only did not make sufficient performs and even on particular groups they misplaced the battle with some expensive penalties and a botched faux punt.

It is like two golfers enjoying a spherical of 18 holes. One man retains getting a par and the opposite one is getting bogeys. With every gap, it is only a 5 and 4 on the scorecard. Add it up on the finish of the day, although, and it is an 18-stroke distinction.

This last rating wasn’t that extensive of a margin, however you get the purpose. The Cowboys have been proper there in nearly each class however not ok ultimately.

And as soon as once more, it is as a result of they positively weren’t ok at the beginning.

Defeating a high quality opponent, or any staff within the NFL for that matter, is all the time a tricky job. Battling in opposition to your self would not make it any simpler.

In dropping 27-21 to the Atlanta Falcons, the Dallas Cowboys have been too usually their very own worst enemy. Premature penalties, failures on third-and-fourth down and communication lapses led to a different disappointing defeat.

And including damage to the insult, quarterback Dak Prescott left the sport within the fourth quarter because of a hamstring damage. Previous to his departure, Prescott had a comparatively environment friendly afternoon, finishing 75 % of his passes for 133 yards with one landing and no interceptions for a 101.6 passer score. In his place, Cooper Rush completed out the sport with 115 yards off of 18 of 24 passing and a landing for a 77.9 mark.

In a worst case state of affairs, Prescott’s damage was quickly adopted by CeeDee Lamb having to depart for a time frame within the last quarter with a proper shoulder damage. Clearly in ache, he returned late within the recreation and completed with eight catches for 47 yards, together with a two-point conversion after coming again within the last minutes. Tight finish Jake Ferguson led the Cowboys with 71 receiving yards.

On the bottom, Dallas confirmed some life as Rico Dowdle rushed 12 occasions for 75 yards with Prescott lastly utilizing his legs some as nicely, totaling 30 yards on three runs. General, the staff posted a formidable 6.5 yards per carry common.

Nevertheless, the Cowboys had seven pre-snap penalties on offense, together with two on fourth down, and transformed solely 3 of 13 third-down makes an attempt and 1 of 5 fourth-down tries. They completed with 378 complete yards to the Falcons’ 310 and barely gained the time of possession, 30:40 to 29:20. Nonetheless, the errors proved expensive.

The Dallas protection fared higher in stopping its opponent’s dashing assault. Working again Bijan Robinson recorded 145 yards from scrimmage, together with 86 yards carrying the ball, though as an entire, Atlanta averaged simply 3.3 yards per run.

Kirk Cousins proved to be the actual drawback, although. The quarterback began the day with 13 consecutive completions, and accomplished 79.2 % of his passes for the sport for 222 yards and three touchdowns for a 144.8 score.

For the primary time this season, the Cowboys didn’t enable their opponent to select up factors on their opening drive. Good begin.

Even higher, Dallas got here proper again and put three factors on the scoreboard on its first possession. The primary three performs of the collection noticed Prescott join with Ferguson for 27 yards, Dowdle for 12 after which again to Ferguson for an additional 15. The drive finally got here to an finish on the Atlanta 16-yards line, however Brandon Aubrey, recent off jury obligation, was good on his 34-yard field-goal strive.

However earlier than the quarter was achieved, the Cowboys would discover themselves trailing. The Falcons stitched collectively a seven play, 78-yard possession that produced positive aspects of twenty-two, 16 and 18 yards. The rating got here when Cousins lofted a move to Drake London on the left aspect of the top zone, the wideout making a leaping seize for a 10-3 Atlanta lead.

The subsequent quarter-hour obtained off to a promising begin when the second snap of the body noticed defensive finish Carl Lawson come off the fitting aspect for a strip-sack of Cousins. The bouncing ball was pounced on by security Donovan Wilson, the Cowboys now with possession.

Sadly, they could not reap the benefits of the reward. Head coach Mike McCarthy determined to go for it on fourth-and-1 on the Falcons’ 44-yard line, solely to have Lamb’s tried end-around get stuffed for a 3-yard loss.

That led to a straightforward Atlanta rating. The Falcons went for it themselves on fourth-and-3 on the Dallas 36-yard line, however confusion lining up within the Dallas secondary led to Darnell Mooney breaking wide-open down the fitting sideline, a straightforward pitch-and-catch for the walk-in landing.

After which the Cowboys answered with one of many craziest touchdowns you will ever see. Thanks to 3 runs of 15-plus yards – one every by Lamb, Prescott and Dowdle – Dallas discovered itself on second-and-goal on the Falcons’ 3-yard line. That is when Prescott, scrambling again and avoiding defensemen throughout him, tossed a move to Dowdle in the long run zone. The operating again then jumped, bobbled the catch, hit the ball up as soon as on his means down and eventually caught the prize whereas on his again for the inconceivable rating. That closed the hole to simply 4 factors, 14-10, on the half.

Dallas opened the second half with a false begin penalty, which quickly resulted within the particular groups unit popping out for a punt. However punter Bryan Anger as an alternative went for the faux, trying a move to gunner C.J. Goodwin, the ball falling incomplete.

That gave the Falcons possession on the Cowboys’ 38-yard line and 5 performs later they have been throughout the aim line. The primary 4 these performs have been Robinson runs for a mixed 27 yards, however the final was an 11-yard move from Cousin to vast receiver Ray-Ray McCloud for the landing.

Penalties continued to plague the Cowboys. First there was one other false-start penalty, and when the offense then lined up for a fourth-and-1 strive on the Atlanta 49-yard line, Dallas was flagged for too many males on the sphere. With that, out got here the punt unit.

Lastly, the Cowboys have been in a position so as to add to their level complete. Taking up at their very own 39-yard line, they managed to succeed in the Falcons’ 39 earlier than stalling. However Aubrey was readily available to kick one other discipline aim for the ultimate snap of the third quarter, this one from 57 yards to maintain Dallas inside placing distance, 21-13.

With the Cowboys protection beginning to put on down, Atlanta’s offense went heavy on its floor recreation. The Falcons opened the ultimate quarter with a seven-play, 66-yard drive that noticed two Cousins passes for 40 yards adopted by 5 straight rushes for the ultimate 26. The final was a 6-yard bull-rush up the center by Tyler Allgeier for the landing. A foul snap led to Atlanta lacking the extra-point.

Nevertheless, on the earlier drive, Prescott injured his hamstring and was dominated out for the rest of the sport. That left the quarterbacking duties to Rush in his first significant snaps of the 2024 season.

The 2 sides traded punts, however when returner KaVontae Turpin corralled Atlanta’s punt at his personal 28-yard line, he turned the fitting nook and had an open discipline in entrance of him. However he was unable to regulate his momentum, and regardless of desperately attempting to remain in-bounds, he stepped on the white line, a possible landing quashed.

The Cowboys nonetheless threatened, reaching the Falcons’ 31-yard line, however when Lamb was unable to make a diving catch in the long run zone on third down and Turpin did not haul in a fourth-down move, Dallas turned the ball over on downs. Lamb, already in ache from a proper shoulder damage, could be pressured to depart the sport for a collection.

Dallas was now down by two touchdowns with simply over 5 minutes remaining, however Rush obtained the Cowboys again in the long run zone on a 14-play, 86-yard drive, which included a 22-yard completion to Turpin on fourth-and-5, in addition to a third-and-1 run by Rush for 7 yards. He then discovered Jalen Tolbert at the back of the top zone for the rating. Lamb, who got here again late within the drive, was open for the two-point conversion, Dallas now down simply 27-21 with 1:32 left on the clock.

However Aubrey’s on-side kick could be recovered by the Falcons, the Cowboys’ hopes for a comeback arising brief.

Vikings kicker Will Reichard missed discipline objectives of 53 and 31 yards, whereas Colts kicker Matt Homosexual missed a 53-yard kick over the primary half-hour.

Minnesota tied the sport to open the second half with Darnold discovering broad receiver Jordan Addison for a four-yard, game-tying landing early within the third quarter. The Vikings took the lead on a nine-play, 80-yard drive sparked by a 41-yard completion from Darnold to broad receiver Justin Jefferson, with Darnold ending the possession with an eight-yard landing to broad receiver Jalen Nailor.

The Colts shortly marched into Vikings territory on the following possession, however after a spectacular Adonai Mitchell 21-yard catch canceled out penalties on Taylor and Braden Smith, Flacco was picked off when cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. undercut an out-breaking throw to Downs on third-and-eight on the Vikings’ 35-yard line.