The New Orleans Saints made a bold statement in Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season, delivering a comprehensive 44-19 thrashing of the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. In a game where the Saints excelled in all phases—offense, defense, and special teams—Dallas had no answer to New Orleans’ relentless attack.
First Half Dominance
The Saints set the tone early, with Alvin Kamara leading the charge. Kamara was virtually unstoppable, racking up four touchdowns, three of which were rushing scores. His first came on the opening drive with a 5-yard run, setting the stage for a dominant day. Kamara followed up with a 12-yard run and capped his stellar performance with a 57-yard touchdown off a screen pass from Derek Carr. Kamara’s dynamic play had Dallas on their heels, and by halftime, the Saints had already piled up a commanding 35-13 lead.
Quarterback Derek Carr was also exceptional, finishing 11-of-16 for 243 yards, including a 70-yard strike to wide receiver Rashid Shaheed. Carr added a rushing touchdown with a quarterback sneak, contributing to an unstoppable offense in the first half. Wide receivers Chris Olave and Shaheed had big days, with Olave breaking free for multiple significant gains, showcasing his ability to separate from elite cornerbacks like Trevon Diggs.
Defensive Prowess
On defense, the Saints suffocated the Cowboys. Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson led the charge with relentless pressure on Dak Prescott, who struggled to find any rhythm against New Orleans’ front seven. The Saints’ defense forced multiple turnovers, including interceptions by Tyrann Mathieu and Paulson Adebo, while Bryan Bresee added a strip-sack to halt a crucial Cowboys drive.
The Saints also stopped the Cowboys on two critical fourth-down attempts, showing why their defense is one of the most feared in the league. Carl Granderson was particularly disruptive, recording 1.5 sacks, including a shared sack with Chase Young, while the secondary, led by Mathieu, held Cowboys receivers like CeeDee Lamb in check for most of the game.
Second Half: Cowboys Fight, Saints Finish Strong
Though Dallas managed to score in the second quarter with a Prescott-to-CeeDee Lamb touchdown, it was too little, too late. The Cowboys never found a consistent offensive groove, and the Saints’ defense quickly stifled every attempt at a comeback. Prescott was held to under 300 passing yards, with most of his production coming in garbage time.
In the fourth quarter, the Saints’ defense forced a critical turnover on down and Saints kicker Blake Grupe sealed the deal with a 26 yard field goal.
A Statement Win
This dominant 44-19 victory moved the Saints to 2-0 on the season and ended the Cowboys’ impressive 16-game home winning streak. New Orleans’ all-around performance, from Derek Carr’s efficient play to the unstoppable Alvin Kamara and the stifling defense, showed they are a legitimate force in the NFC this season.
For the Cowboys, this loss exposed several weaknesses, particularly in their offensive line and defense, as they dropped to 1-1. They’ll need to regroup quickly, but the Saints’ overwhelming display demonstrated how wide the gap can be between the contenders and pretenders in the NFC.
Next up, the Saints will host the Philadelphia Eagles in a highly anticipated matchup at the Caesars Superdome, while the Cowboys will look to bounce back on the road against another NFC rival.
The Saints showed that when they are firing on all cylinders, they are a difficult team to beat, and this performance against Dallas was a clear reminder of their potential to go far in the 2024 season.
