Falcons plan to open roof for third consecutive home game

Falcons  coach Dan Quinn looks on as running back Ito Smith and teammates prepare to play  Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the roof of Mercedes-Benz Stadium open on Oct. 14.

Credit: ccompton@ajc.com

Credit: ccompton@ajc.com

Falcons coach Dan Quinn looks on as running back Ito Smith and teammates prepare to play Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the roof of Mercedes-Benz Stadium open on Oct. 14.

The Falcons plan to open the retractable roof of Mercedes-Benz Stadium for Sunday afternoon's game against the Dallas Cowboys, the team said Friday.

That would mark the Falcons’ third regular-season home game this season – and the third in a row – under an open roof.

The current weather forecast for Sunday afternoon calls for partly cloudy skies and a high temperature of 64. The Falcons noted that the plan to open the roof is subject to change based on actual game-day weather conditions.

Game time is 1 p.m.

The roof was closed for the Falcons’ first three regular-season home games this season, but has been open for the past two: Oct. 14 against Tampa Bay and Oct. 22 against the New York Giants. It also was open for one preseason game.

Work on the complex eight-panel roof was finally completed in July, at which time stadium officials declared it fully functional.

The roof was open for only one game during the 2017 season.