3 Takeaways from Cowboys' Week 10 Win

The Dallas Cowboys got back on track in Week 10 with a dominating 43-3 win over the Atlanta Falcons. After being embarrassed by the Denver Broncos in Week 9, Dallas did the embarrassing.

Sunday's win won't make up for that letdown, and it won't erase concerns about Dallas' consistency. The Cowboys cannot have subpar performances and expect to stay in the title hunt.

However, the victory was a reminder of just how good the Cowboys can be when everything is clicking. Atlanta (4-5) is not a bad team, but it does belong in the NFL's middle tier. The Cowboys (7-2) showed they are a notch above with a big bounce-back performance.

Here are three key takeaways from Dallas' Week 10 win.

Week 9 Was an Aberration

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We'll start with the big one. Dallas proved that last week's blowout loss was not the norm. Denver beat the Cowboys by 14 points and at one point was up 30-0. It was fair to wonder then if Dallas' hot start to the 2021 season was a mirage and if the Broncos had exposed the Cowboys as pretenders.

Against Atlanta, the Cowboys showed that the opposite was true.

Letdowns are going to happen. The best teams learn from them and rebound. That's what Dallas did this week, producing a complete performance that shows just how dangerous this team can be.

The ground game wasn't particularly impressive—the Cowboys average 3.1 yards per carry—but it did enough (114 rushing yards). Quarterback Dak Prescott (296 passing yards, two TDs) was on point, and the defense was nothing short of spectacular.

The Cowboys have yet to prove they're elite, but they're 7-2 and in control of the NFC East. They'll have a prime opportunity to show that they're among the NFL's best next week against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Getting Michael Gallup Back Is Big

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Wideout Michael Gallup has been out since suffering a calf injury in Week 1. The Cowboys have been fine with Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb and Cedrick Wilson headlining the receiving corps. However, Gallup was a 1,000-yard receiver two years ago and perhaps the best No. 3 receiver in the NFL.

Getting Gallup back is big for the Cowboys offense.

On Sunday, Gallup caught three of five targets for 43 yards. He jumped right back into the offense and showed no signs of the injury that has sidelined him.

"For me to come out here to come out here and show I can run with the best coming off the injury, that's all I can ask for," Gallup said, per the team's official website.

He has seven catches for 78 yards in two games this season. While those may not seem like impressive numbers, it's worth noting that five of his catches have gone for first downs. Cooper and Lamb are the stars of the receiving corps, but Gallup is a difference-maker in a complementary role.

Dan Quinn Deserves the Game Ball

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This was a revenge game for defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. The Falcons head coach from 2015-20 called his best game of the season too, earning the game ball in the process. He deserves it.

The Cowboys defense is not an elite shutdown unit. On the season it ranks 21st against the pass, 15th in yards allowed and 10th in points allowed. However, it can be dangerous, with players like cornerback Trevon Diggs constantly threatening to create turnovers.

On Sunday, turnovers weren't necessarily needed—though the Cowboys got three of them.

Quinn had answers for virtually everything Atlanta tried to do. The Falcons finished with just 214 yards of offense and with only one third-down conversion on 11 tries (0-of-2 on fourth down). This was Dallas' most complete defensive performance of the season, and it shows that hiring Quinn in the offseason was a brilliant move.