NFC Game Of The WeekÂ
Dallas Cowboys at New Orleans Saints
Cowboys: They’ve somewhat come back down to reality the last few weeks. When I saw them demolish the Atlanta Falcons in the fashion that they did, I said to myself, okay, they’re back. This is the style of football they can play and they’re more than capable of showing this weekly. Against the Kansas City Chiefs in week 12, the defense showed up. I can vouch and say that much. It was the offense that struggled and couldn’t put much together. Anytime the Cowboys have problems offensively, it reverts to one thing: The inability to consistently run the football. On Thanksgiving against the Las Vegas Raiders, they fed Ezekiel Elliott the football a total of nine times. Yet, the couch analysts will say he’s washed up (sorry, that was harsh of me). I’ll continue to say it, even if I sound like a broken record player. For the Cowboys to succeed, they must be balanced offensively. Zeke must carry the football between 20 to 25 times for him to have any sort of impact. Right now, Dallas is still in first place in the NFC East, even after a 1-3 record in November. They have been without some key pieces. Amari Cooper tested positive for COVID and Ceedee Lamb was out as well. Those are Dak’s top two receivers. Tomorrow night, they will kick off week 13.
Saints: After that big win in week one against the Green Bay Packers, I said to myself, maybe they won’t miss much of a beat at all. During the off-season, I continuously told people that Jameis Winston gives them a better shot at winning football games because he’s a more traditional quarterback and can do more from the pocket. I’m not saying this to be disrespectful, but I don’t trust Taysom Hill to drop back in the pocket and throw the football 30 times a game. However, he’s a vital piece to what the Saints do offensively because he’s a guy that can catch passes, line up in the slot, run the ball and he’s a threat in the RedZone if necessary. Unfortunately, Jameis tore his ACL and since then, things have gone down the drain for them. Trevor Siemian has shown flashes, but he’s not the answer for them. He wasn’t the answer in Denver after Peyton retired if we’re being honest. The Saints offense this year has had to switch their identity. This is a team that has become a run-first group and has relied heavily on defense to keep them in games. At this moment, that is the only way they can win football games. They don’t have the consistency at quarterback to get into shootouts and Drew isn’t walking through that door anytime soon. The defense has been great this year (minus last week on Thanksgiving). They’ll be home once again with the Cowboys coming to town for a Thursday night showdown.
Cowboys X-Factor: Michael Gallup– He’s a big-time difference-maker when he’s healthy. Michael makes those tough catches over the middle in traffic. The thing is, he’s not the biggest guy in the world, but he has no fear whatsoever once he’s on that field. Also, he can take the top off the zone and get down the field vertically. This is just another weapon in Dak’s arsenal.
Saints X-Factor: Kwon Alexander– He’s everywhere on the field for the Saints defense. The purpose of an inside linebacker is to read and react. Kwon does that consistently. His nose for the football stands out. Wherever the football is, he’s traveling with it. Kwon is also one of the reasons why the Saints have one of the best run defenses in the league. He’s a tackling machine.
Final Thoughts: These teams have come to know each other well. The Saints looked awful on Thanksgiving night against the Buffalo Bills. That might be the worst I’ve seen them look under Sean Payton. Dallas had plenty of opportunities to win that game and let it slip through their hands. Now, December football begins. Amari is expected to be back which will give the passing game a much-needed boost. The Saints must get pressure on Dak. Mix it up with stunts and different looks upfront. Lattimore and Cooper should be a fun matchup to watch in this one. Dallas must try to bottle up the
run.
Prediction: Cowboys 26, Saints 17
