New Orleans Saints beat Dallas Cowboys in Sunday night football
Four Will Lutz field goals enough for Saints to record Week Four victory
Monday 30 September 2019 09:35, UK
New Orleans made it back-to-back victories to end Dallas Cowboys' perfect start with a 12-10 victory at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday night.
Without Drew Brees, still sidelined following thumb surgery, the Saints have been forced to look elsewhere to continue their winning run and against a Cowboys team without a defeat it was the defense that played their part.
The Cowboys had not scored fewer than 31 points in their 3-0 start to the season but they were limited by a Saints defense that atoned for their less than fluent showing in the redzone as the offense continues to find it's feet under Teddy Bridgewater in the absence of Brees.
Dallas scored the only touchdown of the game, through Ezekiel Elliott, but were limited to just 45 rushing yards - Elliott accounting for 35 of them - as the Saints won a game without scoring a touchdown for the first time since 1998.
It means the Saints (3-1) move to the top of the NFC South and have two wins from two with Bridgewater under centre, while the Cowboys have the same record and still sit top of the NFC after their three-game run was halted,
Fittingly the Saints defense came up with the game-winning moment with just two seconds remaining after Dak Prescott found Randall Cobb for a 32-yard completion that gave Prescott the chance to heave the ball downfield.
That came just moments after Saints were in range of a field goal that could have put them ahead by five when blitzing Jaylon Smith sacked Bridgewater at the 47-yard line, forcing New Orleans to punt.
However, rookie defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson and safety Marcus Williams came down with an interception for New Orleans' third forced turnover of the game and the win was in the book.
Prescott finished 22 of 33 for 223 yards for the Cowboys while Bridgewater went 23 of 30 for 193 yards and suffered a first interception of the season that owed more to receiver Ted Ginn Jr.'s hands in the first quarter.
Bridgewater and the Saints leaned heavily Michael Thomas, who had nine catches for 95 yards, and running back Alvin Kamara, who had 69 yards rushing and 20 yards receiving while the point scoring was left to the ever-impressive Will Lutz who connected from 40, 42, 19 and 26 yards.
Up Next
New Orleans Saints (3-1) - Sean Payton's team remain in their own building in Week Five when they take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-2) who recorded a stunning 55-40 win that ended the LA Rams perfect start to the season.
In Week Six the Saints go on the road to face the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Dallas Cowboys (3-1) - Having beaten the Giants, Redskins and Dolphins to start the season the Cowboys schedule was always going to get tougher and they head to Lambeau Field in Week Five to face Green Bay (3-1) who also suffered a first defeat of the season.
Week Six will see the Cowboys head to MetLife Stadium to face the New York Jets.
Don't miss the conclusion of the Week Four action when Pittsburgh host Cincinnati in an AFC North match-up of two teams yet to record a victory this season - coverage underway on Sky Sports Action from 1am
