ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Joe Milton ran for a touchdown and threw for a score to help the Dallas Cowboys beat the Atlanta Falcons 31-13 in the preseason finale for both teams Friday night.
Slow starts in the first two exhibition games left questions about whether Milton was the answer as the backup to star quarterback Dak Prescott after the Cowboys let Cooper Rush go in free agency and acquired Milton in a trade with New England.
Milton might have eased some concerns for first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer, who is also the play-caller, by leading touchdown drives on Dallas’ first two possessions. The first was capped by his 1-yard scoring run, the second by a 1-yard plunge from rookie running back Jaydon Blue in his first preseason action.
On the first drive of the second half, Milton converted a fourth-and-1 by going 18 yards on a designed run, then threw a 29-yard touchdown to Jalen Brooks two plays later for a 24-10 Dallas lead. Will Grier took over from there as Milton finished 10 of 18 for 132 yards.
“He got off to a good start,” Schottenheimer said. “He was having fun. He used his legs. Beautiful throw to (Brooks) on the go ball. He looked a lot more comfortable and settled tonight.”
Both teams sat nearly every starter, and the Falcons once again didn’t play Michael Penix Jr. or backup Kirk Cousins. Easton Stick threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to tight end Feleipe Franks, who was wide open underneath because of a blown coverage and went head-first over the goal line near the pylon.
Blue, who missed two weeks of training camp with an ankle and heel injury, exited the game with an ankle injury in the second half and didn’t return.
Stick threw his second interception in three preseason starts and finished 20 of 28 for 198 yards.
Atlanta’s Younghoe Koo converted field goals of 38 and 28 yards after missing from 51 early.
Dallas pass rusher Micah Parsons was present but noticeably disinterested. After scrubbing all references to the Cowboys in his social media profiles amid a contract stalemate, the 2021 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year wasn’t showing his No. 11. Instead, he was dressed in a hoodie and stayed in the background on the sideline.
At one point, Parsons was lying on a training table behind the bench, his eyes closed at least part of the time. He didn’t practice during training camp and asked for a trade early this month. Parsons is set to make $24 million in the final year of his rookie contract but wants a long-term deal.
Josh Woods had a huge hit for the Falcons on Jalen Cropper’s punt return in the first half, and Elijah Dotson started their final drive with a 41-yard run before getting stuffed on fourth down from the Dallas 1 in the final minute. Dotson had 74 yards on 12 carries.
“These games, you get a chance to see some real, live special teams plays,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “You got a chance to see a big-time hit by Josh. Dotson came in and got a couple of big runs there in the second half. Those are always good moments to see.”
Ben DiNucci, whose only NFL start came as a rookie seventh-round draft choice by the Cowboys in 2020, threw an interception on his first pass against his former team when he replaced Stick midway through the fourth quarter. Robert Rochell had the pick. DiNucci signed with the Falcons this week.
Dallas kicker Brandon Aubrey made a 64-yard field goal on the final play of the first half. He connected from 65 yards during the 2024 regular season, 1 yard shy of Justin Tucker’s NFL record from 2021.
Aubrey made the kick with yards to spare. It looked like it could have matched the 70-yarder from Jacksonville’s Cam Little in a 31-25 loss to Pittsburgh on Aug. 9.
The Cowboys play the NFL opener at defending Super Bowl champion and NFC East rival Philadelphia on Sept. 4. The Falcons also open with a division game, facing defending NFC South champion Tampa Bay at home Sept. 7.
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