The Cowboys came off a blowout win over the Browns in Week 1, but now they get to play their first game of the year in front of a home crowd. They were 8-0 at AT&T Stadium during last year’s regular season, but can that streak continue? The Saints are in top form after beating the Panthers last week. What do our writers expect to happen?

When New Orleans has the ball

Play with clean eyes

The Saints have a new coach running the offense this year in Klint Kubiak, son of the legendary Gary Kubiak, who came over from the 49ers. He brings the same type of offense that Kyle Shanahan has demonized the Cowboys with in recent years, and his first game in New Orleans suggested big things are afoot.

Mike Zimmer, however, has a history of performing well against this type of offense, and Kubiak spent four years on his staff in Minnesota. Zimmer knows that much of this offense relies on eye candy and deception to confuse defenses. He’s going to want his players to play with clean eyes, not get distracted by all the movement and deception, and stick to their fundamentals. If Dallas can do that, they have more than enough talent to beat this Saints offense.

When Dallas has the ball

Spread the ball

The Saints have enjoyed a period of dominance since Dennis Allen, now the head coach, first started calling plays for the defense. Even last year, when the defense was undergoing a bit of a youth movement, they remained one of the best units in the league. But there are still holes in this defense that need to be exploited, especially when it comes to pure speed.

The Cowboys have plenty of that, with CeeDee Lamb being the most obvious example. Next to him, though, Brandin Cooks and KaVontae Turpin could pose problems for this secondary, and even Deuce Vaughn could see some work against a defensive line that’s slightly bigger than the average defense. For example, the Cowboys could beat this defense if they distributed the ball to everyone instead of just feeding their newly wealthy receiver, which would allow New Orleans to focus all of its resources on trying to get rid of Lamb.

And now the predictions from you BTB writers…

Tom Ryle (0-1):

I’m one of the many who was wrong about the opener, and I was just as happy about it. But there are still concerns for me. Was the win over the Browns driven primarily by their battered offensive line and the ineptitude of Deshaun Watson? Did the offensive line simply take their foot off the gas in the second half?

They need a complete game that doesn’t rely on a smothering defense. This early in the season, we’re still trying to find teams, and the Saints are no exception. They have a quarterback in Derek Carr going up against the Cowboys, although in NFL terms, that’s been a long time coming.

I can’t say for sure, since I’ll have to wait until I have more data, but give me a 30-27 Dallas win in a thrilling shootout where Dak proves he deserves that new deal.

Matt Holleran (0-1):

Week one went much better than I expected for the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas looked dominant in their win over the Browns, and their defense was particularly impressive. This week the Cowboys host the New Orleans Saints in a game that should be very interesting.

I see Dallas’ defense picking up where they left off last week, which will cause problems for the Saints’ offense. The Saints have a solid defense, so I think we’ll see a similar offensive output from the Cowboys this week as we did last week. Ultimately, the spread is 6.5 points, which I think is close to perfect.

Give me the Cowboys, 24-17.

Jess Haynie (1-0):

Dallas and New Orleans posted two of the more lopsided victories of Week 1. The Cowboys were perhaps more impressive away against one of the league’s best defenses in Cleveland, while the Saints bullied a terrible Panthers team at home. New Orleans went 9-8 in 2023, punishing bad teams and losing to good ones, and they still have the same core of their roster and coaching staff.

So if that pattern continues, this is one Dallas should win. The Cowboys went 8-0 at home in the last regular season, including wins over Detroit, Philadelphia and Seattle. Whether or not TE Jake Ferguson plays is a concern, but I don’t know if it will affect the outcome.

I’m going for Cowboys 27, Saints 23.

Brandon Loree (0-1):

You couldn’t ask for a better Week 2 game and home opener for the Cowboys. Two 2-0 teams shaking off the stink of a season ago, hoping to change their narrative and make the postseason. Many will remember the 2021 game with the Carolina Panthers, when they went 3-0 at AT&T Stadium. They were a fraud. This version of the New Orleans team feels different.

Dennis Allen seems to have rethought his approach as a coach and has a better connection with his players than before. The defense is his baby and they destroyed the Panthers’ hopes in Week 1 before their season even started. The Cowboys are a tough opponent at home, having won their last 16 games in Arlington. The momentum Dallas showed against the Cleveland Browns should carry over into a tight game with Dak Prescott and Co. coming out on top.

Cowboys win, 24-20.

Mike Polen (1-0):

This game is all about pressure. The Cowboys held their ground by allowing the 10th fewest sacks last season. The Saints have a defense that has allowed the 4th fewest sacks, making this a huge mismatch. Dak will have more time to deliver, find his target, and get the ball where he needs to be.

Conversely, the Cowboys defense will have to do what they did last week and punch the quarterback in the face. When Derek Carr was sacked two or more times in a game last season, he struggled. Of the eight games the Saints lost, Carr was sacked two or more times in six of those losses. He failed to throw a touchdown in three of those games.

Cowboys win their home game 28-20.

Dana Bartholomew (0-1):

The Saints absolutely crushed the Panthers last week, especially with their running game and quick passing game. I think the key for the Cowboys this week will be to shut down Alvin Kamara on the ground and make Derek Carr uncomfortable in the pocket. The Cowboys defense was very disciplined last week and I trust our LBs to keep the Saints successful running plays to a minimum. Even though Carr was only sacked once last week, he will be under a lot more pressure against this Cowboys defense.

As for the Cowboys offense, I expect them to build on what they saw in Week 1. The rookies on the O-line have proven they can play with the best of them and Dak and co. are excited to put on a show at AT&T Stadium.

I choose the Cowboys over the Saints: 30-20.

Brian Martin (0-1):

The Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints both dominated their opponents in the season opener, but only one team will take home the “W” in this Week 2 game. I expect it to be the Cowboys. They didn’t have the advantage of playing at home against one of the worst teams in the league like the Saints did last week. They won a tough road game and will carry that confidence into this game in their first home game of the season.

So give me the Cowboys (27-17), with another impressive performance in all three phases of the game.

Chris Halling (0-1):

The Dallas Cowboys give the New Orleans Saints a reality check on Sunday, continuing their defensive dominance. Micah Parsons finishes the game with 2+ sacks, and the offense gets going against a more comfortable defense.

The Cowboys win 31-13.

RJ Ochoa (1-0):

New Orleans looked incredible last week and I’m inclined to believe it a little more than most. While I acknowledge that the Panthers aren’t a great team, the advanced data supports that the Saints handled them in the same way that elite teams do. That said, I also believe that the Cowboys were pretty special last week and they’re not getting the proper flowers either. I think Dallas wins in a game that they’re going to suck away in the second half.

Cowboys win, 30-26.

David Howman (1-0):

I value the Cowboys crushing the Browns much more than the Saints crushing the Panthers. Apparently, that goes for Las Vegas as well, as they favor the Cowboys by almost a touchdown. I don’t think that’s far off given the talent gap between these two teams.

That said, this game features a referee team that penalizes the home team far more and in turn has seen one of the worst home winning percentages of any referee team. That leads me to believe that this game will be very uneven in the penalty category and will ultimately make things more exciting than they should be. Still, I have faith that the Cowboys will pull through in the end, but not after we all bite our nails down to the bone.

Cowboys win, 34-31.