Why the Cowboys win
Dallas regroups and finds the defense that is necessary to reach the playoffs. The secondary, led by Roy Williams, puts pressure on the Falcons' receivers, and Tony Parrish makes his debut a good one. Tony Romo finds a new gear and uses the running game to help him get the ball downfield. Julius Jones goes for close to 100 yards.
Why the Cowboys lose
Atlanta's Michael Vick is too much. Elusive players such as Reggie Bush and Vick are difficult to stop for the Cowboys' defense. Vick runs, runs and runs some more on the Cowboys' defense, which fails to keep containment. Atlanta's defense puts pressure on Tony Romo and the passing game, forcing two or more turnovers. Jason Witten, Terry Glenn and Terrell Owens struggle to get the passes necessary to be effective.
The last meeting
Sept. 7, 2003, Texas Stadium: Dallas opened the season with a 27-13 loss to Atlanta. The Falcons took a 17-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Falcons opened the lead to 20-7. But the Cowboys cut the deficit to 20-13 when Quincy Carter threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to Joey Galloway. The point-after attempt was blocked. Atlanta sealed the victory with an eight-minute, 26-second drive when Doug Johnson scored from the 1.
A Darren Woodson interception was the 23rd of his career, moving him into sole possession of 10th place on the team's all-time interception list.
By the numbers
As a starter, Tony Romo has committed seven turnovers. Of those turnovers, only two resulted in scores for the opposing team.
| Date | Opponent | Turnover | Result |
| Oct. 29 | at Carolina | Interception | Touchdown |
| Nov. 19 | vs. Indianapolis | Fumble | Fumble |
| Nov. 19 | vs. Indianapolis | Interception | Punt |
| Dec. 3 | at N.Y. Giants | Interception | Fumble |
| Dec. 3 | at N.Y. Giants | Interception | Punt |
| Dec. 10 | vs. New Orleans | Interception | Touchdown |
| Dec. 10 | vs. New Orleans | Interception | Punt |
