The New Orleans Saints couldn’t have gotten off to a better start to the 2024 season after annihilating the Carolina Panthers 47-10 in week one. The Black and Gold traveled to Dallas for week two to take on the Cowboys and continued their dominance from last week as New Orleans improved to 2-0 with a 44-19 victory on Sunday.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Dallas won the coin toss and deferred to the second half, making New Orleans receive the ball to open the game. Saints receiver Rashid Shaheed got three touches on the drive, including a critical third-down catch for 17 yards. Carr connected with Chris Olave across the middle for a 39-yard gain. That play set up an Alvin Kamara five-yard rushing touchdown to the right and gave the Saints the lead less than five minutes into the game.
The Cowboys responded with a 13-play possession. Dallas picked up three first downs on the drive with one being a QB sneak by Dak Prescott on 4th & 1. On 3rd & 18, Prescott checked down Rico Dowdle for a nine-yard pickup. Kicker Brandon Aubrey lined up for a 52-yard field goal to make it 7-3 with 4:14 left in the first quarter.
It didn’t take long for the Saints to respond with another touchdown. Carr hit Shaheed deep on a post route off play action for a 70-yard score on the first play from scrimmage to extend their lead.
Dallas came back with another long drive, running off almost seven and a half minutes in 14 plays but only recorded 41 yards. Alontae Taylor stopped a reverse run by Brandin Cooks for a three-yard loss on second down. Carl Granderson then sacked Prescott on third down as Aubrey kicked a 38-yarder to cut it to within eight.
New Orleans then scored again, this in four plays. Kamara got three touches on the drive with the final one being a 57-yard touchdown off of a screen pass, putting the Saints up by 15 with 9:30 to go in the second quarter.
The Cowboys exploded on a big-play touchdown. After Dowdle rushed for a first down, Prescott completed a pass to CeeDee Lamb. Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu over-pursued on the and Lamb broke free for a 65-yard score after he got out of Paulson Adebo’s tackle attempt.
Following that, the Saints had an 11-play, 78-yard drive that ran 4:56 off the clock. New Orleans converted on multiple third downs and Kamara carried the ball five times for 48 yards and capped it off with a 12-yard touchdown.
After an 11-yard gain by Cooks on 3rd & 10, Prescott’s pass to Jalen Brooks was overthrown and intercepted by Adebo. The Saints cornerback returned the ball 47 yards before being tackled at the Dallas 20-yard line with 1:02 to go before the half.
Carr connected with Olave for a 19-yard pickup on second down, then Carr punched it in himself for the one-yard touchdown with 39 seconds to go.
Dallas had just enough time to squeeze in one more field goal after Prescott completed a pass down the sideline to Jalen Tolbert for a gain of 19 yards to the New Orleans 30-yard line.
The Saints headed into the locker room with a 35-16 advantage.
Coming out of the break, Dallas got the ball and drove down the field to the nine-yard line of the Saints. Bryan Bresee strip-sacked Prescott on 3rd & 8 but Tolbert fell on the ball at the 22-yard line as Aubrey knocked through his fourth field goal of the game.
New Orleans responded with yet another touchdown drive, going 70 yards in 13 plays. A penalty on offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz nullified a 26-yard score by Foster Moreau but a pass interference on Jourdan Lewis allowed Kamara to reach paydirt from seven yards out. The PAT was missed however but New Orleans was up 41-19
The next few possessions resulted in no points as Will Harris forced a couple of incompletions as Dallas turned the ball over on downs. A couple of plays later, Carr’s pass was thrown high and tipped by Olave as Donovan Wilson came down with the interception. Tyrann Mathieu answered with a pick of his own on the next play to set up the Saints’ offense at their 30-yard line.
Dallas couldn’t convert on fourth down a couple of drives later and that set up a 26-yard Blake Grupe field goal with 5:11 left in the fourth quarter.
Cooper Rush and Jake Haener replaced Prescott and Carr with the game well in favor of the Saints. New Orleans ran down the rest of the clock as they improved to 2-0 on the season with a 44-19 win over the Cowboys.
BIG NUMBER: 6
The New Orleans Saints scored six touchdowns on their first six possessions in a variety of different ways on Sunday. Carr was completing passes for huge gains and the running game was efficient against a good Dallas defense.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Alvin Kamara
Kamara did it all as he finished with 20 carries for 115 yards. The New Orleans star back also had a couple of catches for 65 yards and recorded four total touchdowns as the Saints crushed the Cowboys 44-19.
UP NEXT: The New Orleans Saints will return home next week for a matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Kickoff inside the Caesars Superdome is scheduled for the moon on Sunday, September 22nd.