A Saints vs. Cowboys showdown doesn’t need much hype around it, but the lights will be bright on the prime time stage for Sunday night football in the Mercedes Benz Superdome. Last season, Dallas was the home team and managed to put an end to the Black & Gold’s 10 game win streak. Now, the Saints get a shot at a little payback as they can hand the 3-0 Cowboys their first loss of the season.
"They are playing awfully well right now,” Saints head coach Sean Payton said about the Dallas offense. “3rd down they are one in the league; defensively they are 2nd in the league. Each category; big plays, yards per play. They are running it well, the quarterback is playing well. I think that their design, their talent, all of those things. You can’t help but notice the quarterback and the success he’s having. And, that’s nothing new for him, he’s been successful. But, when you see the combination of running backs and I think just the right amount of veteran presence from a Cobb, and a Whitten, Fredrick the center is back. That’s very important.”
Dem Boyz have averaged 32.3 points per game, which is 4th best in the NFL and are getting it done in the air and on the ground. Dak Prescott has taken advantage of the time his offensive line is giving him and has completed 75% of his passes, throwing 9 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Ezekiel Elliot is an elite running back, but rookie Tony Pollard has also averaged 5 yards per carry forming a lethal duo in Dallas’ backfield.
Oh, the Cowboys defense isn’t too shabby either as they are surrendering 14.7 ppg on average, which is also 4th best in the league. It is easy though to point to the lackluster competition they’ve been up against. Dallas has played the Giants, Redskins and Dolphins. Combined those teams’ records are 1-8. But, Coach Payton remembers Thursday night football in Dallas a year ago and juts how physical and tough that defense was.
“There’s an element to how they play and what they do and a belief in their system,” said Payton. “I think that works, and you see it on film. There’s an enthusiasm about how they play and I think that’s a combination of confidence, but also talent and a good scheme.”
The Saints are 4-3 against Dallas in the Sean Payton era, with the Cowboys taking 2 of the last 3 match-ups.
"This is the Cowboys toughest game of the year, by an enormous margin, even though Drew Brees is not playing for the Saints." — @getnickwright pic.twitter.com/eDHJNwYiLi
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) September 25, 2019
