Dallas Cowboys vs. Atlanta Falcons: There wasn't much good to come from the game

And there you have it. The Dallas Cowboys' 2024 season is likely over after their 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9. We can put aside all rational thoughts about making it through the postseason this year and look to the future, even if there is still half of the regular season left to be played this year.

This matchup against the Falcons was once again an overall poor performance for the Cowboys, just considering the current state of affairs. However, looking at the future, there is actually something good we can take from this loss. With that in mind, let's take a look at the good, the bad and the ugly after Dallas' Week 9 loss.

THE GOOD – The 2025 NFL Draft season starts early

Get ready, 2025 mock drafts for the Cowboys are going to pop up pretty regularly as their playoff chances fade after the 27-21 loss to the Falcons. This team really has no choice but to pick as high as possible in the 2025 NFL Draft for the rest of the season. The higher the pick, the better the player. This may be the only thing worth keeping an eye on for the rest of the year. At the moment it looks like they are a contender for the top 10 pick.

THE BAD – Only halfway through 2024

There's still half of the 2024 NFL regular season left to play, but for the Cowboys it feels like it's already over. Yes, they still have to complete the rest of their schedule this year, but there is little hope that they can turn things around to make the playoffs. That means things will likely get worse as the season progresses, making this team even harder to keep an eye on from week to week. This is especially true if they try to finish the year strong, which will only hurt their draft position in the 2025 NFL Draft.

THE UGLY – Dak Prescott's hamstring injury

Normally, the thought of Dak Prescott being sidelined for an extended period of time would be detrimental to the team's success week in and week out. However, 2024 is not a normal season for the Cowboys. This year was bad from the start and it hasn't really gotten any better with time. What Prescott's injury does, however, is open the door for the Cowboys to begin evaluating younger players with an eye toward the future. The opportunity to evaluate some backup players who could have starting potential could be invaluable heading into the draft/free agency. CeeDee Lamb's injury could also be an issue to monitor.