There’s no such thing as a meaningless game in the NFL. Every win, loss, (and, begrudgingly,) tie matters whether it’s for playoff seeding, divisional standings, or even the draft order. But some games mean more than others. And in the New Orleans Saints’ case, a win over the Dallas Cowboys would mean so much more than a loss.
They’ve got nothing to lose here. Falling short at AT&T Stadium on Sunday would only confirm everyone’s priors. Dennis Allen’s doubters would point to his record against good teams with winning records. His supporters would acknowledge that the Cowboys are exactly the Super Bowl contender that experts paint them as, and of course they’re going to brush aside lesser teams like the Saints. Few people would come out of a loss feeling differently about the Saints.
But a win? That really changes things. We’re already seeing the narrative begin to evolve after New Orleans’ dominant Week 1 win over the Carolina Panthers. Sure, the Panthers were a worse team than many thought. But the Saints were a better squad than they’ve been portrayed, too. That’s how a 37-point victory happens. And a second win over the Cowboys in Dallas? That’s how seismic shifts happen.
It’s because this won’t be easy. The Cowboys were given higher expectations than the Saints all summer as their fans and analysts in the media put them among this year’s Super Bowl contenders. Look at their history. Dallas has won 16 regular season home games in a row, dating back to early in their 2022 season. But they aren’t invincible. One of the last losses Dak Prescott took on his home field was against Derek Carr and the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021, when Carr threw for 373 yards. He’s won here before.
And another win would be just what the Saints need to help win back what they’ve lost in recent years. They want fans to buy in to what they’re selling, and a blowout win over a division rival was a great appetizer. Now it’s time for the main course. Prove this version of Carr in Klint Kubiak’s fun new offense is for real against a quality opponent. If they fall short? It’s more of the same and we’ll circle back next week at 1-1. If they pull off the upset? Expect a bigger crowd when they host the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans next weekend.
