Joe Milton ran for a touchdown and threw for another 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 had raised questions about whether Milton was the right choice as backup to star quarterback Dak Prescott. The Cowboys let Cooper Rush go in free agency and acquired Milton in a trade with New England.

Milton may have eased some concerns for first-year head coach and play-caller Brian Schottenheimer by leading touchdown drives on Dallas' first two possessions. The first ended with Milton's 1-yard scoring run, and the second was capped by a 1-yard plunge from rookie running back Jaydon Blue in his preseason debut.

Milton converted a fourth-and-1 with an 18-yard run on the first drive of the second half, then threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Brooks two plays later to give Dallas a 24-10 lead. Will Grier took over from there, while Milton finished 10-of-18 passing for 132 yards.

Both teams rested nearly all starters. The Falcons did not play rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. or veteran backup Kirk Cousins. Easton Stick threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to tight end Feleipe Franks, who was wide open due to blown coverage and dove 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.

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.