Have the Cowboys put their November woes behind them? It wasn't pretty, but at least they've started December with a 27-17 road win over the New Orleans Saints.
The defense stood out in this one with four interceptions of Saints QB Taysom Hill. CB Trevon Diggs got his ninth pick of 2021 and DT Carlos Watkins snatched one out of the air and took it to the house. Safeties Jayron Kearse and Damontae Kazee also joined in the fun.
Micah Parsons got his 10th sack of the year and stood out in several other moments, continuing his campaign for Defensive Rookie of the Year and perhaps even greater accolades. We also enjoyed the return of DeMarcus Lawrence after missing 10 games with a broken foot, and Tank didn't disappoint with several big plays throughout the night.
The defensive turnovers were essential to Dallas' success as the offense never really got hot. The 20 offensive points were enough to beat a severely shorthanded Saints team, but struggles with the run game and a lack of consistency in the passing game will leave many worried as we get into the home stretch of the season.
Dak Prescott had 238 passing yards and a TD to Michael Gallup, but his one interception was a very questionable throw into coverage and he had a few misses on other opportunities. Outside of one 58-yard breakaway by Tony Pollard for a score, the running backs were mostly stymied all night.
Still, picking this game apart may be unfair given the week Dallas has had. Head Coach Mike McCarthy and several assistant were missing due to COVID and Dan Quinn served as the interim HC.
For Quinn, who battled Sean Payton for years in the NFC South while head coach of the Falcons, this was assuredly a nice moment. Quinn had a 5-8 record against Payton's Saints during his time in Atlanta.
This win moves Dallas to 8-4 on the year and give them positive momentum before a long break between games. The Cowboys will have 10 days to rest, heal, and prepare for their first meeting with the Washington Football Team in Week 14.
