Atlanta scored a touchdown on its opening offensive possession of the game, the first time the Falcons accomplished the feat all season. Quarterback Matt Ryan led the team on a 16-play, 80-yard drive which consumed 8:34 off the clock and included four third down conversions on four attempts. Ryan capped the drive with a four-yard touchdown pass to Roddy White. * Falcons wide receiver Roddy White caught his fifth touchdown of the season and has scored at least one touchdown in three consecutive games after grabbing a four-yard pass from quarterback Matt Ryan in the first quarter. * Atlanta running back Michael Turner posted the Falcons second touchdown of the game on a two-yard carry. The score cut the Cowboys lead to 17-14. The TD for Turner marked his seventh of the season and his 18th in the last 14 games. * Quarterback Matt Ryan recorded his second touchdown of the game when he found wide receiver Eric Weems for a 30-yard TD in the fourth quarter. The touchdown for Weems is the first of his career while the 30-yard reception is his career long. For Ryan, the touchdown signified the 10th multiple touchdown game of his career. * Falcons running back Jason Snelling posted a career-long rush with a 31-yard carry in the third quarter. The rush set up a Falcons touchdown. * In the first quarter of play, Atlanta's defense held the Cowboys to 18 total yards (18 rushing and 0 passing). The zero net passing yards allowed is the lowest total since 2008 when the Falcons defense held the Carolina Panthers to -4 net passing yards on November 23, 2008. * In the first half of play, Dallas running back Marion Barber was held to -4 yards which is tied for his third lowest career rushing total in any half of play. * Falcons safety Thomas DeCoud recorded his first career sack, dropping Dallas quarterback Tony Romo in the third quarter, which led to a Cowboys punt. Six minutes into the fourth quarter, linebacker Stephen Nicholas added his second sack of the season and fourth of his career. * At the eight-minute mark in the second quarter, defensive tackle Thomas Johnson forced a fumble which was recovered by cornerback Brent Grimes. Both the forced fumble and recovery were the first of Johnson and Grimes' careers. * Tight end Tony Gonzalez caught Atlanta's first pass of the game on a six-yard connection with quarterback Matt Ryan. The reception increased Gonzalez's consecutive games with a catch streak to 137. * Quarterback Matt Ryan endured a sack in the first quarter, marking only the third time he was dropped all year at that point in the game. The sack was the first for Ryan since the season opening contest against the Miami Dolphins. Since that game, he was not sacked for 18-straight quarters and 143 consecutive passing attempts. * Falcons fullback Verron Haynes made his first career start and added his first reception of the season in the first quarter which was also his first catch since 2007 as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
MORE FALCONS-COWBOYS COVERAGE:
GAMEDAY LIVE:Complete coverage from AtlantaFalcons.com * GAME CENTER:Stats and more in the NFL.com Game Center * FIRST TAKE:Exclusive interviews from the Falcons locker room * VIDEO CONTENT:More video interviews and highlight reels * BEAT BLOG:In-game thoughts and a final breakdown * J. MIKE'S MISSIVES:Thoughts from the AF.com managing editor * IMAGES:Action photos from AF.com team photographers * GAME NOTES:Game notes taken from the Cowboys Stadium press box * TRANSCRIPTS:Thoughts from the postgame locker room * INACTIVES:Falcons-Cowboys game inactives and starters * FORUMS:Talk about the game with other fans on FalconsLIFE
