👀 All Eyes On Sunday’s Cowboys-Falcons Matchup

If the Dallas Cowboys truly are one of the NFL’s elite teams, now is the time to show it. [View in browser]( [FOX SPORTS INSIDER WITH MARTIN ROGERS]( In today’s FOX Sports Insider with Martin Rogers: For the first time this NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys actually do have something to worry about ... we take a look at what’s ahead with this week’s MLB general managers meetings ... and we are treated to a must-see buzzer-beater. Jerry Jones couldn’t believe what he’d seen and called it “inexplicable.” Mike McCarthy had an explanation for what happened, but little to offer about the why. Dak Prescott, meanwhile, summed up the situation perfectly – and you didn’t have to be a genius to be able to read between the lines. “Sometimes you think you can just roll out there and get it done,” Prescott told reporters after last week’s stunning home loss to the Denver Broncos, a game in which they were torched to the tune of 30-0 before adding a couple of late touchdowns to make things (sort of) respectable. “Even when the adversity hits, I don't think there was really ever a point, maybe until the last few minutes, where we didn't think that we're going to be able to get something going to win this game. When that sinks in, you just realize it's the NFL. This is a tough business.” [STORY IMAGE 1] Prescott said what he felt, essentially admitting that the Cowboys had become overconfident, started to believe their own hype, and took a team they were widely expected to dominate far too lightly. The result was the low point of a Cowboys year that had, until then, been going swimmingly. Not only had Dallas won six straight, but Prescott was looking sharp, the defense was outstanding, and it wasn’t just rabid Dallas fans who were suggesting that this might be the most in-form team in the entire league. That chatter got shut down swiftly on a head-shaker of an afternoon in Arlington, Texas, meaning this Sunday’s home clash with the Atlanta Falcons (1 p.m. ET on FOX) takes on an enhanced level of importance. If the Cowboys truly are one of the NFL’s current elite units, and not just a team that went on a hot start, now is the time to show it. [STORY IMAGE 2]( Now there is a fresh line of thought, and it’s not one the Cowboys will be thrilled about. Broncos head coach Vic Fangio suggested the Cowboys' success so far had less to do with their own ability, and more about the tactical shortcomings of their previous opponents. “Teams just haven’t played them the right way,” Fangio said. “We just (had) to do it the right way, call it the right way, which I’m in charge of.” McCarthy accepted that upcoming rivals may try to replicate Denver’s approach but pushed back on the theory the Broncos had found the secret sauce to dismantling his team. “Vic played us very aggressive,” McCarthy said. “That’s good to hear him beating his own drum. This is a copycat league. I just told the team, (to) get ready.” Denver’s swarming defense piled on the pressure and forced the Cowboys into mistakes. Prescott remained in the game even once defeat was assured, racking up 232 yards that ultimately meant little. This led to some criticism for McCarthy not pulling his QB earlier. “There was game left out there to be played,” Prescott said, defending his coach. “It never crossed my mind that I was coming out of the game. I think if somebody would have tried to make that decision, I would have told them I wasn’t.” [STORY IMAGE 3] It could be one of those freak results - there have been quite a few recently – and the real damage was limited, with the Cowboys remaining miles clear at the top of the NFC East and primed for a home playoff date. Last weekend was a gut-check though, and the clash with the Falcons will tell us if there is greater cause for concern. On FS1’s “Undisputed,” Skip Bayless suggested that Fangio’s outburst might be an unexpected blessing for the Cowboys. “I want to thank … Vic Fangio for providing (Dallas) just the motivation it needs to get ready,” Bayless said. “He just got them ready for what I consider a crucial game. This is a turning point of the season. Are they real or not real? We will find out this Sunday.” [STORY IMAGE 4] Yet while Dallas is a firm nine-point favorite with [FOX Bet]( the Falcons have improved since an 0-2 start, have won three of their four road games, and have managed to get some things going behind quarterback Matt Ryan. For Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Atlanta is a familiar opponent – he led the Falcons to Super Bowl LI and the brink of winning it all, before the New England Patriots launched a historic comeback. “There isn't time to take a stroll down memory lane,” Quinn told reporters. “We got some (expletive) to fix. I'll be … going after it as hard as we can, worrying about the jerseys I coach now.” For the first time this season, the Cowboys actually do have something to worry about. [STORY IMAGE 5]( Here’s what others have said ... Colin Cowherd, The Herd: “The Cowboys look like a championship team.” Emmanuel Acho, Speak For Yourself (on Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy): “You’re either coaching it or you’re allowing it to happen.” Nick Wright, First Things First: “There are no blips when you're trying to win the Super Bowl, trying to be the No. 1 seed. This was awful. It was 30-0 with five minutes left. ... Dallas HAS to win this game." Tis' the season for porch pirates sponsored content Each holiday season, as gifts for loved ones arrive on stoops and porches across America, package thefts and burglaries spike. Order SimpliSafe for 50% off today, and protect your home and family with award-winning home security this holiday season. SimpliSafe is robust, reliable home security without the hassle or expense of the traditional brands. 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[THE INTERNET IS UNDEFEATED] [THE INTERNET IS UNDEFEATED]( The 2021-22 college basketball season is only three days old and we’ve already been treated to plenty of jaw-dropping plays. However, what occurred in Thursday night’s UC Riverside-Arizona State game is simply on another level of “amazing.” Trailing 65-63 with 1.7 seconds remaining in the game, UC Riverside’s J.P. Moorman II heaved a three-quarter court shot at the buzzer, which swished through the net, giving the Highlanders a stunning 66-65 win over the Sun Devils. Go ahead and check out this play. It gets better every time. [VIEWER'S GUIDE] WWE Friday Night SmackDown (FOX, 8 p.m. ET) Universal Champion Roman Reigns battles King Woods this Friday on SmackDown. Oklahoma at Baylor (Saturday, FOX, 12 p.m. ET) Caleb Williams and the No. 8-ranked Oklahoma Sooners take on Gerry Bohanon and the No. 13-ranked Baylor Bears in a Big 12 showdown. Purdue at Ohio State (Saturday, ABC, 3:30 p.m. ET) Aidan O’Connell and the No. 19-ranked Purdue Boilermakers battle C.J. Stroud and the No. 4-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. Atlanta Falcons at Dallas Cowboys (Sunday, FOX, 1 p.m. ET) Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons travel to Dallas to take on Dak Prescott and the Cowboys. Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Chargers (Sunday, FOX, 4:05 p.m. ET) Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings go up against Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers. [BET OF THE DAY] [BET OF THE DAY] Odds provided by [FOX Bet]( Virginia vs. Notre Dame: Virginia +5.5 From FOX Sports Betting Analyst Sam Panayotovich: The Fighting Irish are on upset alert this Saturday. Virginia's passing attack has given teams fits all season, and that song should remain the same in Charlottesville. Southpaw quarterback Brennan Armstrong is completing 65% of his passes, and the Hoos are not scared to take shots down the field. They'll gladly test an average Irish secondary. This game features the highest total (O/U 64.5 at FOX Bet) for any ND game all season, which tells you that oddsmakers expect both defenses to have a rather tough time. I love taking points in games that should be shootouts. Notre Dame also hasn't played on the road in over a month. Let's see how they handle adversity in a tough night game where they'll likely be playing from behind quite a bit. [WHAT THEY SAID] “Look up, get up, and don't ever give up.” — Michael Irvin [FOLLOW FOX SPORTS] [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( Download FOX Sports App: [Fire TV]( [Roku]( [Google Play]( [App Store]( [Fire TV]( [Roku]( [App Store]( [Google Play]( Also available on these devices: [fireTV | AppleTV | ROKU | Google Chromecast | XBOX ONE | SAMSUNG Smart TV] [fireTV | AppleTV | ROKU | Google Chromecast | XBOX ONE | SAMSUNG Smart TV] Trademark & Copyright Notice: ™ and © 2021 Fox Media LLC and FOX Sports Interactive Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Please do not reply to this message. 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