How to buy Dallas Cowboys vs. New Orleans Saints NFL Week 2 tickets Nick Wojton The Dallas Cowboys will finally host their first game of the 2024 NFL season at AT&T Stadium in Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints. Regardless of any result prior to your first game at home, teams in the NFL want to make their backyard a fortress. This is the Cowboys’ first opportunity to establish that. After both the Saints and the Cowboys thrashed their Week-1 opponents, this Week-2 game has a bit more intrigue than originally anticipated, and only limited tickets remain. SHOP: New Orleans Saints vs. Dallas Cowboys tickets The matchup with the Saints is the Cowboys’ first home affair in what is building up to be a pivotal season. Can quarterback Dak Prescott and head coach Mike McCarthy convince owner Jerry Jones they can lead the Cowboys to the promised land? The Cowboys’ best chance to do that is by building a strong home-field advantage. Can Dallas do that against New Orleans in a battle of early-season undefeateds? Tickets for this contest start as low as $73. Shop Saints vs. Cowboys Week 2 tickets We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Cowboys Wire operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

NFL Week 2 Injury Report: Cowboys TE room depleted, key Saints defenders questionable K.D. Drummond Jake Ferguson may have escaped major injury, but his MCL sprain has had him out of practice all week. On the opposite side of the field, there are several questionable Saints defenders dealing with various nicks. Here’s a full rundown of Friday’s practice report and game designations. Dallas Cowboys TE John Stephens (Hamstring) DNP all week – OUT TE Jake Ferguson (Knee) DNP all week – DOUBTFUL DE Marshawn Kneeland (Calf) DNP Wednesday, Limited Thursday, Full Participant Friday – No Designation ST CJ Goodwin (Foot) Limited Wednesday, Limited Thursday, Full Friday – No Designation WR Brandin Cooks, LB Eric Kendricks, DE DeMarcus Lawrence, OG Zack Martin sat out Wednesday for rest New Orleans Saints DT Khalen Saunders (Calf) – OUT LB D’Marco Jackson (Calf) – OUT DT Bryan Bresee (Illness) – DNP Friday – Questionable CB Marshon Lattimore (Hip/Hamstring) DNP all week – Questionable OT Taliese Fuaga (Back) Limited Wednesday, DNP two days – Questionable DE Isaiah Foskey (Back) DNP Friday – Questionable LB Jaylan Ford (Hamstring) Limited all week – Questionable  Related Links Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

Cowboys vs Saints: How does Dallas cope if Jake Ferguson is out? Mike Crum MCL sprain. The sprain typically keeps a player out 2-to-6 weeks. Dallas gets to exhale that it wasn’t more severe, and head coach Mike McCarthy has indicated he’s doing what he can to return quickly, but the team still has to find a way to replace his production in any games he might miss. Second-year UDFA Hunter Luepke played more snaps at tight end than fullback in Week 1, and he is an option to take snaps for Ferguson, but there are many other ways to try and replace him. The second-round pick, Luke Schoonmaker, should be the obvious choice. Between his size, athleticism, pedigree, and draft value, Schoonmaker should be able to step in for Ferguson with an ability to replicate what Ferguson is asked to do. A poor injury history has slowed his development, and he hasn’t had any production, so he isn’t the apparent lock he should be. John Stephens, Jr. and Brevyn Spann-Ford are undrafted free agents (UDFA) who each have some valuable qualities for replacing Ferguson, but they are unknown in actual games. It would be better if the production loss from Ferguson’s injury came from Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert, and Jalen Brooks. Getting an excellent receiver like Cooks more touches can only help an offense with limited weapons, and developing Tolbert or Brooks into a more reliable target is an ideal scenario because they will still impact the game similarly when Ferguson returns. 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.

Week 2 vs Saints gives Cowboys rookies another opportunity to shine K.D. Drummond Dallas put a lot of pressure on their rookie class this year by asking six different players to make significant contributions right from the start of the season. They excelled against the Cleveland Browns, what will they have in store for the New Orleans Saints? In Week 1, Tyler Guyton had to start and play opposite the reigning defensive player of the year, Myles Garrett. Cooper Beebe started his first game as an NFL center and had to deal with the mammoth Dalvin Tomlinson. Caelen Carson had the tough task of covering former Cowboys receiver Amari Cooper, Marshawn Kneeland, and Brevyn Spann-Ford played plenty of snaps in rotation. The rookies passed all the first tests with excellent grades. Beebe led all rookie offensive linemen in pass-blocking snaps without a pressure allowed, Carson held Cooper to only two receptions for 16 yards with two pass breakups, and Kneeland had six pressures, the third most on the team. Expectations will rise now, and the players might need to elevate their play depending on their matchup and expectations. Guyton survived against Garrett and is now asked to handle veteran Cameron Jordan, one of the better defensive ends in the league. Carson has to try to lock up tough matchups in Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed.  Kneeland faces off with fellow rookie Taliese Fuaga, who didn’t allow a single pressure in his first game. For rookies, it’s important to flash their upside, but imperative to establish consistency from week to week. Can this group loaded with potential have similar performances in Week 2? 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.

Cowboys vs Saints: Bad Week 1 opponents make gauging each team difficult Mike Crum The Dallas Cowboys handled their business as a road underdog to the Cleveland Browns in Week 1, as the offense held up against one of the best defenses in the NFL last season. The new defense under the leadership of Mike Zimmer was dominant, and the special teams unit might have been the best part of the team. Now Dallas returns to Texas for their home opener against the New Orleans Saints, who are 1-0 after blowing out the Carolina Panthers. It will take multiple games before the Cowboys can establish any certainty in answering questions about the team. Still, each outing open up storylines for the team based on assumptions, unknowns, and theories. Can players continue performing well week to week, or improve after playing poorly? How will the team respond to injuries? Dallas and New Orleans both blew out their Week 1 opponents, but was that more about themselves or the quality of the team they faced? The Cowboys were road underdogs who played against a team with the best defense in the league when they played at home last year. Dallas had to compete with rookies playing at two offensive line spots, a rookie corner, and one corner returning from a significant injury. Their starting nickel linebacker was playing in his first game and returning from a season-ending injury. On paper, the Browns were a legitimate opponent. The Panthers didn’t have much to offer in terms of competition. Saints’ quarterback Derek Carr, only threw four incompletions on 23 pass attempts. Alvin Kamara averaged 5.5 yards per rush, and a slot corner, Alontae Taylor, somehow led the team with three sacks. Carolina just couldn’t put up any resistance, so Dallas will be an actual test of how good the Saints might be this season. New Orleans could be a top-tier team, but Dallas won games against excellent competition last season. In 2023, the Cowboys had home victories over the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, and the 10-1 Philadelphia Eagles. Dallas must continue playing at the highest level at home under Mike McCarthy. If they play as they did in the playoffs, they risk losing the aura they established in AT&T Stadium. That feeling of being hard to deal with at home could give them the confidence needed when they face the Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, and Philadelphia Eagles. Dallas walked into their playoff matchup with the Green Bay Packers on a 16-game home winning streak, the longest since 1979 through 1981. Their last loss had been in Week 1 of the 2022 season against Tom Brady, who will call the game on Sunday. Will Dallas continue their regular-season dominance, or will a losing streak at home 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.

These two new Cowboys playmakers join two vets in ‘protect for the long haul’ status reidhanson The new season is underway, and the Cowboys defense find itself rich in explosive talent. Familiar faces like Micah Parsons and Osa Odighizuwa lived up to their playmaker reputations in Week 1 but new talents like Marist Liufau and DeMarvion Overshown are also flashing as key playmakers for this 2024 campaign. The quickness and impact of these players cannot be understated. Parsons is widely considered one of, if not, the preeminent pass rusher in the NFL. Odighizuwa is fast becoming one of the league’s top pressure-producing interior defensive linemen. All four are explosive. All four are gamebreakers. All four add a special explosiveness to the Cowboys defense. And all four must be preserved for late in the year. Liufau was dinged up in Week 1, but the rookie linebacker has shown he’s an explosive second-level defender who has been said to play like his hair is on fire. And Overshown, fresh off an ACL induced redshirt season, appears to be moving at a different speed than the rest of the world. Spanning from September through potentially February, the NFL season is a long one. There are 17 regular season games and as many as four postseason games on the slate. Like a marathon, just surviving to the end is a feat onto itself. Players understandably break down. In previous years Parsons and Odighizuwa have both seen their production drop as seasons progress. They have been such critical components to the defense coaches have had a hard time taking them off the field to set a more preservation-focused pace. A similar situation could be facing the two new guys at linebacker as well. Liufau straight from college, and Overshown straight from IR, are two budding star LBs with only one game on their professional resumes. The riggers of a 17+ game season are going to hit hard this year so the question is how much of a toll will it take? All four playmakers rely heavily on their explosiveness to be difference makers. Take away that explosiveness late in the season and the Cowboys lose one of their most vital elements at a time when games mean most. Deep rotations and modest usage rates will be key to keeping Dallas’ most explosive players explosive down the stretch. This might sound like a simple ask but there’s nothing simple about it. Overshown and Liufau instantly make the defense faster which impacts both phases of the game. As some of the smartest players on the roster, they fly to the ball. Overshown specifically looks to be shot out of cannon when in pursuit, doing things other players simply cannot. Quick play at the second level is critical in stopping dual-threat quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, Jayden Daniels and Daniel Jones. Those four alone represent 44 percent of the remaining games on the Cowboys regular season schedule. It’s going to be hard putting Overshown on a snap count in these games but for the long-term interest of the club, it’s necessary. Same goes for Parsons and Odighizuwa. Parsons is by far Dallas’ best edge rusher and with Sam Williams already out for the season, it will be difficult for Mike Zimmer to reduce his snaps. For the good of the postseason, he must. Odighizuwa is by far the Cowboys top interior pass rusher, yet Zimmer must find a way to do the same. He needs late season Odighizuwa looking like early season Odighizuwa and for that to happen, he probably needs a lower pitch count early. The Cowboys have to find a way to make their January look different this season. They need to keep their eye on prize and that means doing things in the early season so they can be at their best late in the season. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

Former top Cowboys draft pick needs breakout game in worst way to justify strong camp buzz reidhanson Jalen Tolbert won the Cowboys’ third receiver spot rather handily this summer. The former third-round pick has been a slow burn since joining the Cowboys in 2022. The South Alabama product logged just two receptions as a rookie and 22 as a second-year player. Year 3 is supposed to be his coming out party. After cutting ties with the now-retired Michael Gallup over the offseason, targets are up for grabs in Dallas, pun intended. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Tolbert is in great position to gobble up the majority, even if Week 1 resulted in a rather slow start to the season. Against the Browns, Tolbert logged just one reception; the same number of catches his primary competition for snaps, Jalen Brooks, pulled in. It’s not the type of inspiring debut many hoped for from the third-year pass catcher and gives credence to the idea the third receiver spot is destined to be a timeshare in Dallas this season. While it’s true snaps will be divided somewhat between WR3-WR5, Tolbert’s standing as the true No. 3 is likely pretty solid. Even though the production wasn’t there, Tolbert still posted 42 snaps compared to Brooks who posted just 13. Since the game was well in hand by halftime, it’s understandable Tolbert’s numbers were modest. Keep in mind, CeeDee Lamb only posted 61 yards receiving and Dak Prescott only threw for 179 yards. It just wasn’t an air-it-out kind of day in Cleveland. An item working in Tolbert’s favor is the situation at tight end and how it threatens to impact the Cowboys different personnel groups. Jake Ferguson is nursing an MCL sprain which means he could miss time in coming weeks. Given the falloff in talent at TE after Ferguson, it’s likely Mike McCarthy will favor more WR-heavy personnel packages. 12 and 13 personnel (two and three TE packages) will probably see a decline while 11 and 21 will be more common. The Cowboys have already stated their intention of having fullback Hunter Luepke take over much of Ferguson’s snaps. They also showed they’re happy to use blocking specialist Brevyn Spann-Ford to pick up the slack as well. It stands to reason with one fewer pass catching TE on the field, more opportunities downfield are coming Tolbert’s way. There’s no reason to worry about Tolbert’s paltry impact in Week 1 because the situation didn’t dictate a big passing day for Dallas. Coming weeks will present better opportunities, and the idea Tolbert will build upon Gallup’s 34 receptions for 418 yards from 2023, remains perfectly reasonable. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

Cowboys draw Tom Brady for booth duty in Week 2 vs Saints, Week 3 vs Ravens Todd Brock Future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady earned mostly mixed reviews for his broadcast debut as the color analyst in Fox’s booth during Sunday’s win by the Cowboys over the Cleveland Browns. Cowboys fans, it seems, should get used to hearing TB12’s voice. Brady and the crew that also included play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt and sideline reporters Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi has been assigned to the Cowboys’ next two games as well. That puts Brady at AT&T Stadium this coming Sunday for the team’s home opener versus the New Orleans Saints and again the following Sunday for a Week 3 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens. For all of his accolades and prowess on the football field for 20 seasons, though, the 47-year-old Brady turned in a Week 1 performance that was occasionally awkward, often clumsy, and very much in keeping with his once-again status as a football rookie. But despite the cringey moments- like the Fox talking heads taking turns gushing over their new coworker or Mike Pereira leaving Brady hanging on an on-camera fist bump, there were occasional insights that show what the five-time Super Bowl MVP can bring in terms of perspective. While everyone- the Cowboys’ own coaching staff included- was breathlessly glued to the drama of Dallas kicker Brandon Aubrey teeing off on a 66-yard field goal try, the quarterback who notched over 250 career wins was dutifully eyeing the play clock. “Delay of game,” Brady muttered as it went to zero just before the snap. He didn’t add much in the way of excitement or personality, but the fact that the Cowboys were up by as much as 24 points just a few minutes into the third quarter didn’t exactly help transform the contest into must-see TV. But make no mistake: Brady isn’t going anywhere. The network is paying him $375 million over the next 10 years, and with Fox owning the rights to Super Bowl LIX, they’ll want to get him settled into a groove as quickly as possible. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Putting him on America’s Team for three weeks in a row, then- while it may annoy some within Cowboys Nation- is a very shrewd move. Primarily, it cuts Brady’s homework load in half as he continues to get comfortable in the booth. He already spent the offseason months researching the Cowboys for his Week 1 debut; now he can focus on just their opponents over Weeks 2 and 3. Additionally, three weeks spent with the ratings-monster Cowboys will no doubt pay dividends as the season goes on, with Brady and Dallas almost certain to cross paths once again. And if Dallas makes the playoffs- and maybe even the Super Bowl- all the better for Fox to have their broadcast team and their brand-new golden boy be intimately familiar with the team. That familiarity, however, will have to come solely from what Brady observes from his lofty vantage point on gameday. Thanks to his pending ownership stake in the Raiders, the NFL has prohibited Brady from entering any team facilities, watching team practice sessions, and even participating in standard TV production meetings with coaches and players. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.