Week 2: Cowboys would love to extend multiple win streaks

It may only be the second week of the season, but the Dallas Cowboys are coming into today’s week 2 game looking to extend several winning streaks.

The obvious one is trying to start the season with a two-game win streak. A win over the Saints would make it two straight seasons with a 2-0 start.

Just for some perspective, since the NFL expanded to 32 teams in 2002, 61 percent of the teams to start a season 2-0 made the playoffs.

The Cowboys made the playoffs last year after starting 2-0. Then again, they also started 2-0 in 2019 and even reached 3-0 before the season imploded into an 8-8 finish and a seat on the couch at home to watch the playoffs.

That milestone ended Jason Garrett’s run as head coach for the Cowboys.

Another streak on the line today is the six-game win streak in week 2. Dallas has not lost in the second week of the season since a 42-17 loss to Denver in 2017.

In that game, the Cowboys made Trevor Siemian look like John Elway.

Siemian threw four touchdown passes in the game. Dak Prescott threw a pair of interceptions, including a 103-yard pick six to Aqib Talib in the final minute of the game.

Dallas is also looking to make it four regular season wins in a row.

The Cowboys closed out the 2023 regular season with wins over Detroit (20-19) and Washington (38-10) and opened this year with a solid 33-17 win over Cleveland.

Enter the New Orleans Saints

The biggest threat to all the Cowboys’ streaks is Saints quarterback Derek Carr.

After nearly beating Dallas in a thrilling 20-17 loss while playing for the Raiders in 2017, Carr rebounded with an upset win four years later. Carr led Oakland to a 36-33 overtime win on Thanksgiving Day in Dallas.

Last week against the Panthers, Carr threw for three touchdowns in a 47-10 rout over Carolina.

Carr will put the Cowboys’ pass defense to the test today.

All-Time Against New Orleans

The Cowboys are 18-13 all-time against the Saints dating back to a 14-10 Dallas win at the Cotton Bowl in the first meeting between the teams in 1967.

The Cowboys won the first five meetings between the teams, and 11 of the first 12 between 1967 and 1984.

New Orleans won five in a row between 1998-2006.

Dallas is 2-2 against the Saints since moving their home games to AT&T Stadium in 2009. This includes a 13-10 win at home in 2018 – the last time the teams met in Dallas.

Over the same time frame, the Saints have won three of the five games played in New Orleans.

The Cowboys won the last meeting at the Super Dome in 2021, 27-17.

Overall, the Cowboys are 11-4 at home against the Saints and have won the last two home games. New Orleans is 9-7 at home against Dallas.

In 58 seasons (and 31 meetings), the two teams have never met in the playoffs.

Cowboys All-Time Second Week Record

The Cowboys come into today’s game with a 43-21 all-time record in week 2 games. Dallas is an impressive 23-9 in games played at home, and 20-12 on the road.

As mentioned above, they are 3-0 against the Saints in games played in the second week.

The first meeting was a 21-17 win at the Super Dome in 1969. The second was a 40-3 rout at Texas Stadium in 1973. The second week meeting in 1976 was a 24-6 win back at the Super Dome.

The only other NFC South team the Cowboys have played during the second week of the season is the Falcons. Dallas is 2-1 against Atlanta in Week 2.

The Giants remain the most common week 2 opponent faced with Dallas holding a 10-3 record against New York.

Against the NFC East, the Cowboys are 18-7 all-time when playing in the second week of an NFL season.

ALL-TIME WEEK 2 VS. OPPONENTS

Giants (10-3)

Commanders (5-2)

Cardinals (5-2)

Eagles (3-2)

Broncos (1-3)

Browns (2-1)

Falcons (2-1)

Titans (3-0)

Saints (3-0)

Chargers (1-1)

Vikings (2-0)

49ers (2-0)

Lions (1-1)

Bengals (1-0)

Jets (1-0)

Seahawks (0-1)

Dolphins (0-1)

Chiefs (0-1)

Bills (0-1)

Bears (0-1)

Steelers (0-1)