Cowboys Studs and Duds: Did anyone or anything look like a vibe in Sunday’s debacle? Mike Crum After 16 straight home victories, the last two Dallas Cowboys games at AT&T Stadium have looked identical, but not in a positive way. Like the loss to the Green Bay Packers, the game was a lopsided blowout early. The New Orleans Saints put up a touchdown on their first six drives, scoring 44 points overall in a blowout that showed little resistance. The Dallas offense scored points on five of their first six drives, but it was a battle for almost every yard they gained. In the second half, they were too far behind to be impactful on offense without a viable rushing attack to help a passing attack, which was limited by the loss of Jake Ferguson. Being blown out in the home opener makes it challenging to find good performances and easy to find poor ones, but even a loss like this has some people who still shine around the myriads of terrible plays shown this week by Dallas. Duds: Cowboys pass defense Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images The Saints’ pass offense was efficient and dominant on the road. Derek Carr had just 16 attempts, only three pass catchers had more than one catch, but all three averaged over 20 yards per reception. Carr threw for 15 yards per reception, had two touchdown passes, and was only sacked once. The top three pass catchers accumulated 10 receptions on 13 targets for 242 yards and two scores. It was an embarrassing performance from a defense with plenty of talented players. The Shanahan offensive scheme has been difficult for Dallas, and new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer also failed his first test. Studs: First half passing offense ARLINGTON, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 15: Dak Prescott #4 and CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrate a touchdown during the second quarter at AT&T Stadium on September 15, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) The Cowboys’ offense tried to keep the game competitive early, even with the Saints scoring 21 points on their first 12 plays. Dak Prescott was 17-23 for 184 yards with a touchdown and an interception, scoring on five of their first six drives. The interception was courtesy of a slipping receiver. Dallas scored 16 points in the first two quarters, putting them on pace for 32 points overall. That would be enough to win most games, but it would’ve still lost to the Saints’ first-half scoring. The offense was competitive early, but the defense could never get a stop to give them a chance at a comeback. Duds: Cowboys rushing defense Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) takes a pitch from quarterback Derek Carr (4) in the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Alvin Kamara was the most dominant player on the field today at AT&T Stadium. He ran for 115 yards and three scores on only 20 attempts, but the run defense was a dud for more than just Kamara’s performance. Dallas allowed five players to rush for at least 4.2 yards per attempt, including specialist Taysom Hill and both starting receivers. The top area of concern in the Prescott era has been run defense and it showed itself again in Week 2. Studs: K Brandon Aubrey Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys place kicker Brandon Aubrey (17) kicks a field goal against the New Orleans Saints in the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Brandon Aubrey might be the best kicker in the league in his second season in the NFL. Dallas continued to move the ball offensively, and Aubrey made kick after kick to help put points on the when they stalled out. He went five for five on kicks, making four field goals from 52, 38, 48, and 40 yards. Aubrey is a huge weapon for the Cowboys, and he helped keep Dallas in the contest for as long as he could. Duds: Red-zone offense Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) hands off to running back Rico Dowdle (23) in the first quarter against the New Orleans Saints at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images If Dallas scored touchdowns on every drive they were held to a field goal, they’d still have lost by two scores. The offense wasn’t an issue in this game because the defense was so poor that the good early offense became meaningless. On a macro level, looking ahead, the Dallas offense has to score more touchdowns. Going 0-3 in the redzone will cost them every time, but hopefully, as the rookie offensive linemen and young weapons develop, the team will get better. A miscommunication cost Dallas four points early when Prescott missed a wide-open CeeDee Lamb in the endzone for a 29-yard score. Dallas would end up in the red zone a play later, but the drive stalled, leading to a field goal. A pass to Ezekiel Elliott came up short, putting Dallas behind the chains, and then the Saints caused a strip sack to stop another redzone drive. Getting better in this area could be a key to more competitive games. You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or YouTube on the Across the Cowboys Podcast Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

1st Down: Q1 Big-Play Olave wrecks the Cowboys’ zone defense Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) throws during the first half against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images NO-1-10-DAL 44 (11:34) D.Carr pass deep right to C.Olave pushed ob at DAL 5 for 39 yards (T.Diggs). On the game’s opening drive, the Saints looked to establish their offensive identity and rhythm. Dallas had a chance to force a 3-and-out but the pressure from Micah Parsons was muted by Alvin Kamara, allowing Carr enough time to find Rashid Shaheed on a crossing pattern where he had broken free from rookie CB Caelen Carson for 17 yards. Three plays later, the big play of the drive took place. On 1st-and-10 from the Cowboys’ 44-yard line, the Saints lined up in 12 personnel with a tight end inline right before motioning to inline left. The Move tight end, Foster Moreau, followed him from a Z alignment into the backfield as extra protection. The Cowboys were in zone, and LCB Trevon Diggs bailed backwards as Moreau began his motion. Carr was under center allowing a mild play-action fake to Alvin Kamara and there was no pressure to be found. Chris Olave was aligned on Diggs side of the field and after the defender bailed, crossed inside over the middle with several yards of free space to roam. He got to the right sideline before turning upfield for what would be a 39-yard completion to set up 1st-and-goal from the five yard line. Kamara would easily get into the end zone on the next play to open the scoring. 2nd Down: Q1 – Refs put the screws to Dallas early Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) hands off to running back Rico Dowdle (23) in the first quarter against the New Orleans Saints at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images 1 DAL-1-20-NO 45 (6:19) (Shotgun) R.Dowdle right guard to NO 42 for 3 yards (C.Granderson; N.Shepherd). Make no mistake about it, Dallas got mollywhopped in this contest and the vast majority was their own undoing. Early on though, Dallas had a chance to respond and go toe-to-toe in what immediately looked like a shootout. But the refs were not on their job. A wheel route to Rico Dowdle looked like there could’ve been defensive pass interference called on LB Demario Davis for making contact while face guarding, but there wasn’t. A little later, an offsetting flag on a deep ball by Dak Prescott was picked up. Lamb was clearly interfered with, but the ball was so far out of bounds they couldn’t make the call and Tyler Guyton was left holding the bag on a holding penalty, pushing Dallas back to 1st-and-20 from the Saints’ 45. Out of S11 with the RB behind him Prescott handed off to Dowdle who gained just three yards on the draw, when a loud grown emerged from the home crowd. The replay showed that Dowdle had his entire head turned around when Davis slowed him down by his facemask. It should’ve been a 15-yard penalty and 1st down from the 27, but instead the drive fizzled, leading to a Brandon Aubrey 52-yard field goal. The Saints scored touchdowns on their first six drives, but one has to wonder what the game looks like if the Cowboys score a touchdown on that drive; which the ref crew made impossible by leaving Dallas behind the sticks. 3rd Down: Q1 – The need to squash Shaheed’s speed burns the secondary Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) celebrates after catching a touchdown pass past Dallas Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson (6) during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images NO-1-10-NO 30 (4:14) D.Carr pass deep middle to R.Shaheed for 70 yards, TOUCHDOWN [O.Odighizuwa]. It took just one play for the Saints to stretch their advantage. After a touchback brought the ball out to the 30-yard line, New Orleans broke the huddle in 21 personnel, with FB Adam Prentice aligned outside the TE right, but motioning into inline left position prior to the snap. Another play action look but this time Carr takes an extra beat, turning away from a big hit by DT Osa Odighizuwa to let it fly. WR Rashid Shaheed was passed off by Carson as Dallas was in zone again, and he raced down the middle of the field past first Malik Hooker and then Donovan Wilson. Carr dropped a dime in his breadbasket 50 yards downfield as Shaheed ran the final 20 into the end zone for a 14-3 lead. 4th Down: Slip and Slide… Jalen Brooks can’t keep his footing and Dallas’ comeback hopes are dashed Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo (29) returns an interception against the Dallas Cowboys in the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images DAL-1-10-DAL 49 (1:20) (Shotgun) D.Prescott pass deep right intended for J.Brooks INTERCEPTED by P.Adebo at NO 33. P.Adebo to DAL 20 for 47 yards (E.Elliott; D.Prescott). With the score 28-13, the Cowboys are sliding fast. They’ve shown no ability to stop the Saints and the only real hope is to pull off the bookend and score touchdowns to close the half and then open the third quarter. On 3rd-and-10 from their own 38, Prescorr had to escape the pocket and found Brandin Cooks on the right sideline for 11 to save the drive. For one play. On the next play, Prescott fired a bullet to WR Jalen Brooks, who was in the clear on the post route but he slipped making his break, stumbling down. A timing route, Prescott had already released the ball and it went directly into the hands of CB Paulson Adebo, who returned it 49 yards down to the Cowboys’ 20-yard line. New Orleans tacked on their fifth touchdown of the half, giving them the

Mike Zimmer’s defense isn’t as advertised Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images It was a great debut for the new defensive coordinator, but Week 2 looked nothing like Week 1 from his unit. Zimmer’s defense resembled former DC Dan Quinn’s when facing topo offenses from the past few seasons. Dallas couldn’t stop the run, got out schemed and weren’t able to get off the field on third downs. Things were particularly bad in the first half where the Saints had 310 yards of offense, scored five touchdowns on their five possessions, and were 3-for-3 on third down attempts. Saints running back Alvin Kamara had 60 yards, rushing for almost seven yards a carry, and had three scores as the Saints and Derek Carr moved the ball at will against Zimmer’s defense. It didn’t get much better in the second half as the first series for the Saints was a 13-play, 70-yard drive that resulted in a sixth consecutive touchdown possession. New Orleans totaled 432 yards and went 5-5 on third downs until it didn’t matter late in the game. There was no pass rush, no pressure, and Micah Parsons was nowhere to be found in the loss. The Cowboys looked like a soft football team under Zimmer in his first real test against a competent offense; just like his predecessor’s defense. Offense lacks punch Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images While the defense was busy getting shredded, the offense tried to keep up but wasn’t able to score enough points. The Saints were scoring touchdowns while the Cowboys were kicking field goals; trading three points for seven is never a good thing. Carr and the Saints were rushing for big chunks and then going down the field with the passing game. In trying to keep pace, the Cowboys could barely move the ball on the ground, and quarterback Dak Prescott couldn’t find much open downfield. Prescott did manage to get one big play when wide receiver CeeDee Lamb broke a tackle to go 65 yards for Dallas’ only touchdown, but that was the extent of the Cowboys’ explosiveness in the Week 2 loss. With tight end Jake Ferguson out, the Cowboys couldn’t muster an intermediate passing game and the anemic rushing attack didn’t threaten the defense. Even with Ferguson, this is a problem for an offense that tries to use misdirection and their running game to help setup the pass. The Cowboys don’t have enough weapons or enough speed to back off defenses. The Saints dared the Cowboys to beat them with someone besides Lamb and they didn’t have the skill players to do it. Offensive line got manhandled Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images It wasn’t a banner day for the new look offensive line. After a game where the group managed to keep a good defense off Prescott in Week 1, the offensive line was pushed around by the Saints up front. Prescott was sacked three times, but was constantly under pressure. It didn’t help that New Orleans knew the Cowboys had to pass to get back into the game but even early when the contest was in doubt, the defense was around Prescott. The unit also failed to open many rushing lanes in the running game. Dallas managed to run for only 68 yards on 21 carries, good for just 3.2 ypc. Those were empty calories in the Cowboys’ offensive diet as the rushing attack lacked punch. Brandon Aubrey is unfazed Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Not many Cowboys showed up to play in the loss, but kicker Brandon Aubrey was one of them. The second-year All-Pro was perfect again, going 4-4 on field goals, which included a 52-yard kick. We learned that while the rest of the team can let you down, the Cowboys can count on Aubrey to come through. It feels pointless now, but it could pay dividends down the road. Cowboys have a glass jaw Tim Heitman-Imagn Images It’s a new year, but not much has changed for Mike McCarthy’s Cowboys. When they get challenged, they rarely know how to fight back. The Saints came out and took it to the Cowboys, who didn’t have an answer. If the team doesn’t get out to a lead and establish themselves as the bullies, too often they get knocked out. The bullies don’t like getting bullied and the Cowboys act like the toughest guys on the block until they get hit in the face. It was appropriate that boxer Mike Tyson was in attendance for the game. As Tyson once famously said, everyone’s got a plan until they get punched in the mouth. The Cowboys get punched too often and they continue to fail to adjust.

False Positives? Cowboys defense tested by Saints early and often in Week 2 K.D. Drummond There was always a concern that Mike Zimmer’s complicated defense was going to take some time to take hold in Dallas. After Week 1’s total shutdown of the Cleveland Browns, there was a ton of optimism the amount of talent in the Cowboys’ locker room would prevent that from being the case. Early on in Week 2 it appears that was nothing but a Deshaun Watson mirage. Derek Carr, Rashid Shaheed and the New Orleans Saints have stormed into AT&T Stadium for Dallas’ home opener and completely abused the passing defense of the star-laden lads. On the opening drive of the game, QB Derek Carr connected on a short third down to Shaheed on a crosser, gaining 17 yards. A few plays later Shaheed broke free from Trevon Diggs and raced towards the right sideline to gain 39 yards, setting up an Alvin Kamara five-yard score. After the Cowboys cut the lead to four on a Brandon Aubrey field goal, it took exactly one play for the duo to go back to work. With no pressure in his face, Carr stepped into a throw and launched a deep bomb to Shaheed, who split and beat the two safeties, Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson, for a 70-yard score. The score put the Saints up 14-3 and was the 11th-consecutive drive they’ve scored with Carr at quarterback. Dallas’ defense seems to have their work cut out for them through one quarter. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

The defense (never) rests, Your Honor. Hopefully. Is this the Cowboys new mantra? Mike Crum The Dallas Cowboys are looking to stack good games on top of each other, as former head coach Jason Garrett liked to pronounce. As they prepare to take on the New Orleans Saints in Week 2 of the young 2024 season, they will likely look to their defense to come through for the second-straight contest in hopes that a trend is developing. Last season, Dallas wasn’t competitive in contests where quarterback Dak Prescott didn’t play a great game. They lost to the Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and Philadelphia. In every one of those games, the Cowboys quarterback played poorly, and the defense couldn’t step up to make the game competitive. The team went as the offense went in 2023, but in the first game of 2024, Prescott had average numbers for his standards, and the team dominated behind an excellent performance from the defense. The Cowboys had the fifth-best performance according to Pro Football Focus grades and third-best according to DVOA numbers. Micah Parsons (9) and Demarcus Lawrence (8) led the entire NFL in QB pressures in Week 1. Lawrence and Eric Kendricks tied for the team lead in sacks with two. Kendricks and Trevon Diggs each intercepted passes, and DeMarvion Overshown was all over the field, leading the team in tackles with the third-highest PFF grade amongst linebackers with an 88.6. If Dallas continues this level of performance, the team could flip to a defensive-leaning team from now on, taking a significant amount of pressure off the QB. If the team can hang on whenever Prescott has slow starts, they will be much better off when the playoffs begin. You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or YouTube on the Across the Cowboys Podcast Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.