Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images Here are some specific things we are going to be watching on Sunday. The Dallas Cowboys are off to a good start and will try to keep a good thing going when they play the New Orleans Saints in their home opener on Sunday. The Saints have been the definition of middling in recent years. They are 26-26 over their last 52 games. Some seasons are better than others, but they’ve never been terrible. In fact, the Saints have had at least seven wins in 18 straight seasons. New Orleans is coming off a one-sided 47-10 home win over the Carolina Panthers, but that has more to do with a terrible performance by second-year quarterback Bryce Young. The Panthers looked terrible, and the Saints took full advantage. Some will say the same about the Cowboys dominating the Browns last week. Que sera, sera. With the teams squaring off, we’ll better see what’s legitimate and what was a façade created by a struggling opponent. Here are five things to watch when the Cowboys host the Saints on Sunday. Chasing Taysom Alvin Kamara is a dynamic runner who can hurt you both as a rusher and receiving. He’ll be the focal point of the Saints rushing attack. But the fun doesn’t stop with him. The Saints love to use utility knife player Taysom Hill in a multitude of ways. He’ll come in as a change-of-pace running back, he’ll roll out as a receiver, and he’ll take a direct snap from time to time. Hill is a slippery runner whose strength and speed make him so difficult to bring down on first contact. He will challenge the Cowboys’ tackling skills. The last time the Cowboys played the Saints, Hill was their starting quarterback and the only offensive weapon they had. Despite a losing effort, Hill still managed to run for over 100 yards in that game. He won’t be asked to carry the workload in this one, but every time he has the ball in his hands, he’s a threat to make a big play. Another vulnerable O Line The Cowboys’ defense got a break by facing an injured Browns offensive line last week. Now, they’ll go up against a Saints group that is healthier, but still a little shaky. The Saints have invested a lot of draft capital in their line in recent years with four first-round investments Ryan Ramczyk (2017), Cesar Ruiz (2020), Trevor Penning (2022), and Taliese Fuaga (2024), but not every investment has produced dividends. Ramczyk is their best lineman, but he is out for the year recovering from a knee injury. In Week 1, the Saints rolled out a promising young rookie in Fuaga on the left side, but a less promising Penning on the right side. Fuaga is on the injury report with a back issue and his status is unclear. This could mean more of the same for the Cowboys’ defensive line as DeMarcus Lawrence is notorious for exploiting tackles who are fundamentally deficient. And Micah Parsons is so electric that he will be a handful for whoever he lines up against. The speed of Shaheed The Saints don’t have a slew of receiving weapons. Chris Olave is their best pass catcher, but the skills of third-year receiver Rashid Shaheed shouldn’t be overlooked. He made himself known to the Panthers on the fifth play from scrimmage when he caught a 59-yard bomb from Derek Carr to quickly take a 7-0 lead. Shaheed is a fast receiver who has big-play-making ability. Dallas’ defense didn’t allow any big plays last week and they would like to keep it that way. With some of the playmakers the Saints have on offense, this will be a tough challenge. If they allow Shaheed to get behind the corners, it could mean bad things for the Cowboys’ secondary. And don’t be surprised if the Saints look for more ways to get him the ball on Sunday. Picking up the blitzes One of the Cowboys’ best plays last week was when Dak Prescott lofted the ball up in the air as a Browns rusher came after him unblocked. Fortunately, Brandin Cooks was right where he was supposed to be and the Cowboys scored their first touchdown of the 2024 season. Just like they drew it up in practice. The Cowboys will need to do a good job picking up blitzes as the Saints love to attack with their nickel corner Alontae Taylor. He wreaked havoc against the Panthers last week, sacking Bryce Young three times. Recognizing when he’s coming and providing help or having a quick pass contingency will be crucial in limiting the Saints’ ability to get the Cowboys offense off the field. Another big return for Turpin KaVontae Turpin returned a punt for a touchdown in a regular-season game for the first time in his NFL career. It only took the first game of his third season to do it. While Turpin’s touchdown came on a punt return, you can just feel that he’s going to be one of those guys who cash in on the new dynamic kickoff the NFL instated this season. Last week, many teams were timid, oftentimes just kicking the ball into the end zone and conceding the 30-yard line, however, the Saints weren’t one of those teams. Second-year kicker Blake Grupe kicked off 10 times in the Carolina game and nine times they were returned. Only twice did the Panthers return it past the 30-yard line and when they did, they barely passed it (32 and 33-yard line). Grupe has a good feel for nailing it in the landing zone right near the goal line and don’t be surprised if Turpin follows his punt return TD up with a kickoff return TD. What will you be watching for on Sunday?

Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images The Cowboys’ injury report was better than the Saints’ Last week the Dallas Cowboys went on the road and manhandled the Cleveland Browns. The 33-17 victory was the result of quality play by Dallas, but a couple of injuries for the Browns to their starting offensive tackles certainly influenced the outcome. This week, the Cowboys may again be the beneficiary of an injury imbalance between the two sides. The final injury report has the Cowboys being a full go with DE Marshawn Kneeland. On the negative side, they will almost certainly be without starting tight end Jake Ferguson, even though he is technically listed as doubtful. He hasn’t practiced all week. They will also be without reserve tight end John Stephens. Losing Ferguson certainly hurts the offense, but his position is not one of the most crucial on the field. Having a great tight end absolutely benefits a team, but just having some average guys there doesn’t really crush a team, like say, losing a left tackle or a cornerback. And that might be what the Saints are looking at on Sunday. Veteran corner Marshon Lattimore is battling a hip/hamstring injury and his official status is questionable. But, he hasn’t practiced all week which is usually a bad sign. He could be joined by left tackle Taliese Fuaga, who is questionable with a back issue. He was limited on Wednesday, and didn’t practice the rest of the week. Fuaga is the 14th overall pick in the 2024 draft and had an outstanding first week. If those two can’t play, that is two of the Saints’ best players at two of the most important positions in football. Additionally, the Saints will be without DT Khalen Saunders and LB D’Marco Jackson. The Cowboys are already 6.5-point favorites (FanDuel) heading into the game. If the Saints are without a couple of important players, that would give Dallas that much more of an advantage. Check out our partner FanDuel for your betting needs.

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports Taking one last look from the Saints’ side of things. New Orleans Saints offense expects to be pressured by Dallas’ defense – John DeShazier, NewOrleansSaints.com Derek Carr knows he’ll have to get the ball out in a hurry this week. It’s not just what Dallas does to create pressure on opposing quarterbacks, equally it’s who the Cowboys do it with that makes it one of the best packages in the league. Coming off a 46-sack season in 2023, the Cowboys opened 2024 against Cleveland with six sacks (including two by defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, one by linebacker Micah Parsons), 25 pressures (nine from Parsons, eight by Lawrence), 17 quarterback hits (five from Parsons, four by Lawrence) and four tackles for loss (three by Lawrence, Parsons had one). The New Orleans Saints allowed a fraction of that in their season-opening win against Carolina; quarterback Derek Carr was sacked once, the only time the Panthers were credited with a quarterback hit in a 47-10 romp by the Saints. “I think it’s a really good scheme,” Saints Coach Dennis Allen said. “They have a really good pressure package, so we’ll have to be on point with how we’re identifying who’s coming, which way the protection is going, all those kinds of things. So that’ll be a challenge. And then, when you have a good scheme and you have really good players doing it, it becomes even better. “He’s so fast,” Carr said. “He’s so fast and powerful, plays extremely hard. He’s one of the best players in our game. I think people are talking about him that way, but you turn on the tape and he reminds me of (former Denver Bronco linebacker) Von Miller all those years that me and Von were battling two times a year. “He really reminds me of Von with that explosiveness, that get-off, his understanding of what they’re trying to do to him and those kinds of things. Very, very impressive, and he plays off the ball, too. He can literally play anywhere he wants on a defense. It’s really impressive.” “For me, you’re just keeping your eyes downfield, make the best read, try and get the ball out on time and all those kinds of things. But if I look down (at the rush), I’m doing my receivers a disservice. So you try your best to keep your eyes up and maybe find a scramble lane, things like that. Try your best to always keep your eyes downfield.” Saints vs. Cowboys features 3 of the NFL’s top 5 sacks leaders – Darrion Gray, USA Today There may be sacks aplenty in this Week 2 matchup. You may see the quarterback on the ground quite a bit when the New Orleans Saints travel to Arlington, Texas to take on the Dallas Cowboys. This showdown features three players who registered multiple sacks in Week 1. There’s good and bad news on this front. The good news is the Saints have the player with the most. Alontae Taylor leads the league in sacks with three from Week 1. The bad news is the Cowboys have the other two players. It gets even worse when you realize neither of those two players are Micah Parsons. DeMarcus Lawrence and Eric Kendricks notched two sacks on Sunday. Kendricks is a linebacker, so, like Taylor, he rushes the passer on blitzes. Expect Mike Zimmer to call Kendricks’ name a couple times on Sunday. Unfortunately for the Saints, Taylor’s blitzing will likely be minimal because of the Cowboys receiving corps Two players who registered multiple sacks and a two-time All-Pro? That’s a scary sight for an offensive line still looking to prove themselves. It’s important for the Saints’ defensive line to register pressure of their own. The story of Week 2 could easily be told in the trenches. NFL Week 2 picks, schedule, odds, injuries, fantasy tips – NFL Nation, ESPN Final storylines leading into Week 2. Saints storyline to watch: Starting Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore exited the Week 1 win against the Panthers early with a hamstring injury. Rookie corner Kool-Aid McKinstry, a second-round pick, took his place and would likely be on tap to start if Lattimore can’t go. The Saints also could be bracing for more offensive line shuffling after starting left guard Lucas Patrick injured his toe against the Panthers, which isn’t ideal timing going up against a Cowboys defense that had six sacks in Week 1. — Katherine Terrell Cowboys storyline to watch: The last time the Cowboys played at AT&T Stadium, they suffered one of their worst playoff defeats in team history, 48-32, to the Green Bay Packers on Jan. 14. But they carry into Sunday’s game a 16-game winning streak at home in the regular season. It’s the second-longest home winning streak in team history (1979-81). Last season, they outscored opponents by 172 points at home, the largest single-season differential in team history. If the Cowboys get to 17 straight home wins, they would be 2-0 in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2007-08. — Todd Archer Stat to know: The Saints and Cowboys have forced multiple turnovers in three straight games dating back to last season, which is tied for the second-longest active streak in the NFL behind the Giants (four games). Bold prediction: Saints quarterback Derek Carr will throw for 300-plus yards. No, the bombastic performance in Week 1 was not just about the woebegone Panthers defense. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak dialed up the motion, play-action and rollouts for Carr — tools he badly lacked before — and it worked. The Saints’ offense is better than you think. — Walder Here are Friday’s injury reports for the Saints and Cowboys. Final #Saints vs. Cowboys injury report pic.twitter.com/1syPbylSEP — Tina Howell (@TinaHowellNOLA) September 13, 2024

Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK Here is the Dallas Cowboys injury report for Friday After a dominating performance against the Cleveland Browns, the Dallas Cowboys are putting the final touches of preparation for their home opener against the New Orleans Saints. The Cowboys’ defense looks as healthy as possible, and the status of their Pro Bowl tight end, Jake Ferguson, is the biggest question going into the weekend. We have the final injury report for the week. Here is the final injury report for the Cowboys and Saints ahead of Sunday’s game: – TE Jake Ferguson (knee) officially listed as DOUBTFUL – TE John Stephens Jr. (hamstring) listed OUT – DE Marshawn Kneeland (calf) holds no designation after a full practice Friday – Saints… pic.twitter.com/fQYVekkQCP — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) September 13, 2024 Jake Ferguson was listed as doubtful in this week’s final injury report, leaving a very slim possibility he could play against the Saints. Whether that’s rooted in genuine optimism or gamesmanship to misdirect the Saints before Sunday will be made more apparent tomorrow. Dallas could elevate a tight end or two from the practice squad if they genuinely feel Ferguson won’t be ready this week. John Stephens, however, was more conclusive. Like Ferguson, he did a few things outside team activities and logged DNPs all week, but the team opted to rule him out for the game. Marshawn Kneeland returned to practice Thursday after sitting out Wednesday with a calf injury and was upgraded to full today, he’ll be active Sunday. The two significant injuries to monitor for the Saints are CB Marshon Lattimore and OT Taliese Fauga. Fauga was downgraded to a DNP Thursday, and his questionable designation for Sunday is just that. A downgrade that late in the week should raise an alarm. As for Marshon Lattimore, pay attention to whether he participates in the walkthrough tomorrow. Otherwise, expect him to be ruled out sometime Saturday. Neither practiced today. Furthermore, Khalen Saunders was ruled out and Bryan Breese is questionable for Sunday.

Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images Who would you say are the top 10 players on the Dallas Cowboys right now? It feels good to be back in the swing of things, especially after the Dallas Cowboys convincing win over the Cleveland Browns by the score of 33-17. Even after sitting most of their starters in the preseason, there didn’t seem to be any rust across the board for Mike McCarthy’s team. The offense may have started slow on its opening drive but regained its rhythm on the second. A beautiful anticipation throw for a touchdown from Dak Prescott to Brandin Cooks capped it off. It showcased how much chemistry was built between the two this offseason. This offseason, there was a concern that Dan Quinn’s departure might lead to a drop-off in defensive production. However, the defense in Cleveland looked better and continued to force turnovers, led by Eric Kendricks and Trevon Diggs. Each week for the 2024 season, we will rank players from ten down to number one. This will be part of a rolling tally point system to determine the Cowboys MVP at the end of the year. Here are the top ten players from the Cowboys’ win over the Browns. 10. Tyler Guyton, OT Let’s not forget. Tyler Guyton was touted as a “developmental prospect” from college. In a year, he would transition from right tackle to left tackle. Even though he was drafted in the first round, many analysts expected the Cowboys to take a step back if they were to play the rookie right away or if they needed to redshirt him for a season. Well, Guyton proved everyone wrong. While Guyton struggled with Myles Garrett (who wouldn’t?), he found a way not to let the reigning Defensive Player of the Year wreck the game. It’s still a long season ahead, but the early return on Guyton looks like the Cowboys may have found another diamond along their offensive line. Ken Blaze-Imagn Images 9. Caelen Carson, CB It was deflating to read that DaRon Bland would be missing time with a stress fracture in his foot. It would be a few more weeks before fans saw Bland and Trevon Diggs playing on the outside together. What options did the Cowboys have? Stephon Gilmore was already on the Minnesota Vikings’ roster, and they had already traded Nahshon Wright, one of their most tenured true corners, to Minnesota. After having an outstanding training camp, the team decided to run with their rookie fifth-round pick, Caelen Carson, hoping it would carry over. Carson looked like a seasoned veteran against Amari Cooper, who had just two catches for 16 yards off nine targets. The Cowboys seem in good hands until Bland returns from his injury. 8. Dak Prescott, QB Credit to Dak Prescott for not letting his new contract extension distract him from focusing on the season opener in Cleveland. Even after agreeing to the deal hours before kickoff, that didn’t seem to rattle his cage at all—but what does rattle No. 4? Prescott didn’t have his best statistical game against the Browns’ defense, but he didn’t have to. The one thing he couldn’t do was turn the ball over and make negative plays. The offense did stall in the second half, but by then, the Cowboys were just sitting on a lead. His sole touchdown pass of the day summarized the zone Prescott is operating in right now. Coming off an MVP-caliber season, he’s often credited for being able to see things pre-snap better than most quarterbacks in the league. He picked up on Cleveland’s defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz sending the house at him on third down, and Prescott adjusted and anticipated, dropping the football in the bucket for Brandin Cooks. If the Cowboys get that version of Prescott again in 2024, he’ll be right back in the MVP conversation. 7. Trevon Diggs/Jourdan Lewis, CB Choosing between Trevon Diggs and Jourdan Lewis for this spot was tough, so we’re bending the rules for Week 1 and giving it to them both. Diggs didn’t look intimidated in his first game back from a torn ACL and was locking down the outside like fans have become accustomed to seeing. For Lewis, he had one of his best games. He flew all over the field, unafraid to punch above his weight class and go after tight end David Njoku. Both corners finished with five tackles on the day, and Diggs had an interception that was the final nail in the coffin for Cleveland at the end of the game. Historically, Mike Zimmer expects a lot from his defensive backs, and all three of them appearing on the list should get fans excited about what the secondary could look like in 2024. Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images 6. CeeDee Lamb, WR CeeDee Lamb bet on himself this offseason and cashed in with a new four-year, $136 million contract extension. He held out from all offseason activities until two weeks before Sunday’s kickoff. What shape would their star wide receiver be in after missing out on NFL conditioning? Lamb worked with some great trainers at Alkeme Performance in Florida (more on that later), and that allowed him not to miss a beat. McCarthy didn’t seem worried about a pitch count for Lamb, who was on the field for 71 percent of offensive snaps. Prescott targeted his receiver ten times, leading to a team-high five receptions for 61 yards. 5. Brandon Aubrey, K Brandon Aubrey is the worst-kept secret in the NFL. Not only can he do things like squib kicks to help Dallas in the new era of a dynamic kickoff, but he can comfortably hit field goals whenever the offense gets into enemy territory. After getting to the 48-yard line of Cleveland, Aubrey was ready to line up for a 66-yard field goal. Even though it was ruled a delay of the game, Aubrey still attempted the kick and still made it, clearing the crossbar with room to spare. In Monday’s

Scott Galvin-Imagn Images The Cowboys draft class is coming along. Previously we broke down both team’s offense and defense for the upcoming game between the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints. Now we dive back into the position battleground, this time looking at how some of each team’s rookie class stack up against each other. (Grades for each player are the overall offensive of defensive grade handed out by PFF.com) Dallas Cowboys Tyler Guyton First Round Guyton was perfectly fine last week. His first real test in the NFL was up against one of the best pass rushing defensive lines in the NFL that has one of the best pass rushers in the league, and he allowed only two pressures and one sack. This week he’s facing a less challenging threat, but he still needs to bring his A-game. Although the New Orleans Saints isn’t a team that rack up lots of sacks, there a couple of guys to concern Guyton. Let’s see what level of improvement we get after breaking through the barrier of playing his inaugural game in the pro’s.Grade: 42.0 Marshawn Kneeland Second Round Kneeland was exceptional last week and created a stack full of pressures and tackles at the line of scrimmage. There was some apprehension about the defensive line for Week 1, but watching plays like Kneeland made has created a lot of optimism. Keep an eye on his designation this week in practice as he’s dealing with a calf issue. Grade: 68.0 Cooper Beebe Third Round Beebe played a perfect game last week. No wayward snaps and allowed zero pressures, zero sacks and committed zero penalties. Beebe will try to keep a clean sheet going against the Saints defensive line that had zero sacks as a unit last week.Grade: 67.8 Marist Liufau Third Round Liufau didn’t see much of the field last week, but based on how well the rest of the linebacker corps was playing it’s understandable why he was left out. He played a total of nine defensive snaps last week and made one tackle. Having a talented guy like Liufau learning and waiting for his moment isn’t a bad thing, especially when you take into account the volatility of the linebacker position.Grade: 62.0 Caelen Carson Fifth Round Carson got his hand on the ball a bunch of times last week making two pass breakups and almost bringing in an interception. His play helped other players Like Trevon Diggs and Jourdan Lewis have exceptional days. He helped keep Amari Cooper to less than 20 yards last week and will face the likes of Chris Olave or Rashid Shaheed. Both will test the rookie cornerback again this week and provide Cowboys fans with more clarity on how consistent Carson can be in coverage.Grade: 61.5 Ryan Flournoy Sixth RoundInactive last weekGrade: N/A Brevyn Spann-Ford UDFA Spann-Ford was on the field for 19 offensive snaps last week, primarily as a blocker. The run blocking side of things looked promising. He also featured on special teams which seemed the obvious reason he made the final roster. This week he could look to get more work if Jake Ferguson misses time. With Luke Schoonmaker taking the starting role and John Stephens still suffering with his hamstring issue, Ford could take the TE2 spot and will make for an interesting game to check what the rookie tight end can do.Grade: 54.5 Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images New Orleans Saints Taliese Fuaga First Round There’s no denying Fuaga is a talented and physical offensive tackle. He was one of the premium tackles in this year’s draft in a class that was deemed very talented and deep. He had a solid game last week playing on 28 passing sets and allowed zero pressures or sacks. But this week will represent a much larger threat for Fuaga to deal with as he faces a defense that created an unbelievable total 41 pressures last week, and has the presence of Micah Parsons. This is huge reality check for Fuaga who had things a little easier last week.Grade: 72.7 Kool-Aid McKinstry Second RoundMcKinstry is another talented player the Saints grabbed in the draft and was deemed a fringe first-round cornerback. Marshon Lattimore could miss this game with a hamstring injury meaning McKinstry could get thrust into a starting cornerback role. Having to defend the likes of either CeeDee Lamb or Brandin Cooks is a daunting challenge for a rookie defensive back, so no doubt the Saints coaches will pull a safety to offer help on the outside. If you see this happen early in the game then get ready for the likes of Schoonmaker or Spann-Ford to find more space in the middle and have a big day.Grade: 63.1 Spencer Rattler Fifth RoundDesignated QB3 on the pregame inactive list.Grade: N/A Bub Means Fifth Round The Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver played six snaps last week and was targeted once. A.T. Perry was injured last week so that pushed the receiver depth upward, but Perry looks to play this week unless there’s a sudden setback. Keep an eye on that practice report.Grade: 24.7 Jaylan Ford Fifth RoundInactive last week. On this week’s practice report with a hamstring injury. Grade: N/A Khristian Boyd Sixth Round He played 18 snaps last week, switching between the 3-tech and nose tackle position. He made one pressure and recorded no tackles. Veteran defensive tackle Khalen Saunders is injured and it’s unclear whether he’ll suit up Sunday, Boyd’s snap may go up. He will have a tough time facing either Zack Martin or Tyler Smith.Grade: 52.8 Rico Payton UDFA The Pittsburg State cornerback played heavily on special teams last week but did hop in on seven defensive snaps. The team may look to hold him back on the defensive snaps this week since the Cowboys receiver threat is a lot more volatile than what the Carolina Panthers represented last week.Grade: 59.9 Mason Tipton UDFA Surprisingly the Yale wide receiver got to see quite a bit of the

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images This is going to shock you… but Dallas Cowboys fans are still not totally happy with the team. If you thought Dallas Cowboys fans were won over by a strong Week 1 in the 2024, think again. The Cowboys got off to a fast start to the season when they went on the road and blew out a Cleveland Browns team that made the playoffs last year. That was pretty impressive. But an offseason that began with a blowout loss in the playoffs, then carried on with some contentious contract negotiation, also buffeted by free agency inaction, has left the fanbase with a sour taste. Last week we asked your confidence level in the direction of the franchise and it was a very low 41%. After the Week 1 game, we asked you again. And that number only moved up to 51%. There is still work to be done by the franchise to win over the fans. Not only that, it seems Dak Prescott has more work to do. Just before the Browns game, the franchise and Prescott came to terms on a record-setting deal for four years and $240 million, with $231 million guaranteed. There are definitely skeptics of the contract. Only 46% of fans thought that was a good idea. That number won’t likely change much until Prescott leads the team deep into the playoffs and maybe one day, to another Lombardi for Dallas. This week, the Cowboys host the Saints and are 6.5-point favorites over the New Orleans franchise. Check out our partner FanDuel for all your betting needs.