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.

Mike Zimmer to get first Cowboys test against dreaded Shanahan offense Week 2 reidhanson The Shanahan offense. For years it’s been a thorn in the Cowboys’ side. Popularized in San Francisco, coach Kyle Shanahan has created a schematic juggernaut that’s elevated numerous offenses across the league to be far greater than the sum of their parts. Its branches extend from coast to coast and its many spinoffs have traditionally given the Cowboys absolute fits. In Week 2 the Cowboys welcome New Orleans to take on the latest Shanahan spinoff, Klint Kubiak’s Saints. This will mark the first big test of the Mike Zimmer era and will go a long way into making fans and media believe this year might be different in Dallas. Zimmer’s predecessor, Dan Quinn, enjoyed enormous success during his three years with the Cowboys. But despite building a one of the best defenses in the NFL, Quinn couldn’t get over the Shanahan hump. Quinn’s unit was often exposed going up against a Shanahan offense. All three postseasons under Quinn, two of which were at home, abruptly ended at the hands of a Shanahan offense. As John Owning of PFF pointed out over the winter, in the Quinn era the Cowboys gave up an EPA of 0.045 against Shanahan offenses compared to -0.094 EPA against non-Shanahan offenses. That’s a +0.139 swing which, to put it bluntly, is nothing short of radical. Kubiak’s ties to the Shanahan offense extend beyond his one-year stint in San Francisco last season but go to his roots as the son of Gary Kubiak. Gary Kubiak worked for years under Mike Shanahan, Kyle Shanahan’s father, and as many recall this is where the original conception of the Shanahan offense began. The wide zone scheme held a legendary status even before Kyle Shanahan evolved it into what it is today. Therefore, it’s safe to say the younger Kubiak has a pretty firm grasp on this Cowboys killing scheme even if he only had one year of tutelage in San Francisco. In the Saints Week 1 win over Carolina, Kubiak hit the ground running, putting up 47 points on the hapless Panthers. They were among league leaders in play-action, condensed formations and motion which are all staples of a Shanahan offense. Historically, this scheme has caused fits for the Dallas defense. In the past Cowboys’ defenders have been lacking gap discipline, often allowing big gains on the ground. They’ve also been eager to bite on play fakes allowing exaggerated separation on routes downfield. The 2024 Cowboys defense returns many of the same players guilty of these lapses in discipline, but the hope is under the leadership of Zimmer, the issues get corrected. It’s not just that Zimmer is a renowned disciplinarian as a coach, it’s that Zimmer’s defenses historically do very well against Shanahan offenses. Pass coverage specifically has made Zimmer a standout coordinator against these types of offenses. Since the run typically exists to set up the more fruitful gains downfield through the air, both elements need to work harmoniously to stop an offense such as Kubiak’s. It’s what made Zimmer the most optimal defensive coach to replace Quinn this past winter. He’s a decisive upgrade against the offenses that have been proven Cowboys killers. Week 2 is Zimmer’s first test in proving 2024 will be different. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtlocal] Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

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.