When the New Orleans Saints arrive at AT&T Stadium in the second week of the season they will do so at a disadvantage historically.
The Saints haven’t beaten the Cowboys in Dallas since Dec. 23, 2012. And they had to go into overtime after blowing a late 14-point lead to do it.
The Cowboys have won the last two games against New Orleans played in Dallas.
And the Cowboys won the last meeting between the two teams – on the road — in 2021.
But the Saints quarterback should be Derek Carr. The last time Carr played against Dallas was on Thanksgiving Day in 2021.
He was the Las Vegas Raiders quarterback then and led his team to a 36-33 overtime victory that holiday afternoon.
The Cowboys are 1-1 against Carr – having beaten him 20-17 in a game played in Oakland in 2017.
Against The Saints
The Cowboys hold an 18-13 record against the Saints, dating back to their first-ever meeting in 1967. It was the Saints first year and they finished a respectable 3-11.
They nearly upset the Cowboys in the fifth game of the year in what would have been their first win.
A Craig Morton Pick Six tied the game and the Cowboys barely held on for a 14-10 victory at the Cotton Bowl.
Dallas won 11 of the first 12 meetings between 1967 and 1984. The Saints’ lone win in that stretch cane on a 24-14 win in New Orleans in 1971.
The Saints have won 10 of the last 14 games played between the two franchises since 1998.
The Cowboys have outscored the Saints 641-589 in those 31 games.
Dallas is 11-4 – with a 365-278 scoring edge – in games played at home. The Cowboys won the first nine games in Dallas – two at the Cotton Bowl – and the rest at Texas Stadium.
The Saints however, hold a 9-7 edge in games played in New Orleans, with a 311-276 scoring advantage.
The Cowboys downed the Saints 27-17 the last time the teams met in the Superdome in 2021.
Dallas beat New Orleans 13-10 at AT&T Stadium in 2018 – the last time the teams collided in state of Texas.
Week 2 History
This will be the fourth time the Cowboys have played the Saints in the second week of the season. But it is the first time they have played this early since 1976.
Dallas has won all three of the previous meetings.
The Cowboys won at home in 1973 and beat the Saints in New Orleans in 1967 and 1976.
Dallas is 43-21 overall in Week 2 contests. They are 23-9 at home and 20-12 on the road.
The Cowboys are riding a six-game Week 2 winning streak.
They have not lost a Week 2 game since a bruising 42-17 loss to the Broncos in Denver in 2017.
The last Week 2 loss at home dates back to 2010. The Chicago Bears came to town and upended Dallas, 27-20.
Since that loss, the Cowboys have won their last four Week 2 home games.
The game will also mark the third straight season Dallas has been at home for the second game of the season. Their last road Week 2 game was a 20-17 win over the Chargers in Los Angeles in 2021.
No Giants In Sight
The Cowboys have faced the New York Giants 13 times in the second week of the season.
The Commanders and Cardinals are a distant second at seven games each. The Eagles have played Dallas five times in Week 2.
Once the Saints’ game kicks off, it will tie New Orleans with the Broncos for fifth most-common Week 2 foe at four meetings.
My Prediction
(based on rosters as of today)
The Cowboys will rebound from the season-opening loss and defend their home turf against the Saints.
Mainly because this time around the officials won’t bail Carr out like they did on Turkey Day in 2021.
Predicted season record: 1-1.