Nick Harris: Five things to watch in Cowboys-Saints game
With both teams will carry commanding week one victories into the second week of the season, the Dallas Cowboys will welcome in the New Orleans Saints on Sunday to kick off their home slate at AT&T Stadium.
A rivalry that always has a neighborly feel between Cowboys and Saints fans, the two squads will face off for the first time since 2021, a 27-17 victory for Dallas at the Caesar’s Superdome in New Orleans.
Ahead of the matchup, here are five things to watch in Sunday’s game.
Jake Fergsuon’s availability
Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson is officially listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game as he works through a knee injury that he sustained in the team’s opening week win over Cleveland. Despite not practicing all week, there is still a slight possibility he will play.
“Ferguson stayed in the rehab group today,” head coach Mike McCarthy saidon Friday. “Tomorrow will be the final test.”
If Ferguson cannot play, the Cowboys will turn to 2023 second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker for the starting tight end responsibilities. While his young career has been interrupted with multiple injuries since his arrival, Schoonmaker could be the healthy option to turn to without the 2023 Pro Bowl option in Ferguson.
“It’s an opportunity,” Schoonmaker said. “I’ll really be able to put my best foot forward and take advantage of it. Really step up and make the most of what I’ve been given and execute at the highest level that I can.”
Cowboys’ home winning streak
While the team’s Super Wild Card playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers did come on home turf, the Cowboys still carry a 16-game regular-season home winning streak into the season. The streak is the longest active run in the NFL and is tied for the 12th longest all-time. While it isn’t a big talking point going into the home opener, McCarthy mentioned that the streak was brought up in team meetings this week.
“It’s more about a routine at home and establishing a routine,” McCarthy said. “With that, I do think I mentioned [the streak] in the team meetings.”
The longest home winning streak in NFL history is 27 games, accomplished by the Miami Dolphins from 1971 to 1974. If the Cowboys were to sweep their home slate in 2024, they would be able to reach 25 games which would tie for the second-longest streak all-time with the Green Bay Packers (1995-1998)
Cowboys, Saints pass rush
In their respective week one wins, the Cowboys and Saints used a ferocious pass rush to get after opposing quarterbacks and disrupt opposing offenses along the way.
The Cowboys, who have the league’s top-two pressure generators in the NFL from week one in Micah Parsons (nine pressures) and DeMarcus Lawrence (eight pressures), accumulated a league-high six sacks on Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. The Saints tallied four sacks on Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, tied for the third-highest total from the NFL’s opening week.
The Saints generated 12 total pressures from players not lined up on the line of scrimmage. Whether it be from nickel or linebacker blitzes, the creativity from head coach and defensive play-caller Dennis Allen threw a complex pass rush plan out in week one and found success.
“Block it up, communicate with the guys and make sure we’re all on the same page,” quarterback Dak Prescott said on how to account for varying pressure. “That includes the receivers. [They] have high responsibilities. Be confident in what I see. As I said, just communicate and make sure all 11 know what we’re trying to do and accomplish on a play. And when the ball is snapped, execute.”
Tyler Guyton looking for more
Despite being tasked with lining up against the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Myles Garrett and a barrage of other experienced pass rushers on the Browns defensive line in his NFL debut, rookie Tyler Guyton allowed just two pressures and one sack in 37 pass block snaps.
While it would be a strong debut for anybody to look at on paper, Guyton was quick to say that he felt he played “poorly” in his first start.
“As a competitor, I always feel like we can do better,” Guyton said. “It’s my first sack I’ve ever given up, it hurts. I feel like if I would’ve done the right things, there would’ve been none of that. I feel like my losses were on me. That’s why I say I was poor.”
The challenge this week remains stiff with an edge unit for the Saints that includes eight-time Pro Bowler Cameron Jordan.
“There’s a lot of room to grow,” Guyton said. “I’m super excited about it. I get to learn from my mistakes.”
More touches for running backs
The “running back by committee” approach from the Cowboys offense saw starter Ezekiel Elliott carry the ball 10 times for 40 yards in week one, Rico Dowdle rush eight times for 26 yards and Deuce Vaughn garner just one carry for four yards. While some other touches were given in the running game to CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks, Mike McCarthy said earlier in the week that he would like to see the running backs have an uptick of opportunities against the Saints.
“The biggest thing I talked about on Monday was getting the running backs more touches,” McCarthy said. “If you look at just the second half, our performance on third down, we didn’t get enough touches, period, for the whole offense.”
While Elliott was able to punch into the end zone against the Browns, just 70 yards of production from the Cowboys’ trio of running backs will need to see improvement to help facilitate an offense that has had the benefit of a 1,000-yard rusher for each of the past three seasons.
This story was originally published September 13, 2024 at 3:07 PM.
