1. The Cowboys will run the ball 35+ times
The Cowboys’ coaching staff deserves criticism for abandoning the run too early against the Broncos last week. Rest assured, Dallas won’t make that mistake again against Atlanta.
That’s music to the ears of Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott. He’s going to get a ton of work early in this game in an effort to soften up the Falcons’ front seven. As usual, Tony Pollard will get a significant amount of work as the team’s No. 2 running back.
The workload split between the two backs will depend solely on who is the more efficient rusher against Atlanta. It’s probable that Elliott will get 20+ carries while Pollard will crack double-digit touches too.
That gives the Cowboys’ offense a strong chance to run the ball more than 35 times against this Falcons defense. Sunday will be about ball control for Dallas after their inefficient effort against Denver. Running the ball effectively is the cleanest path to victory for the Cowboys this week.