The Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints will kick off week 13 of the NFL season on Thursday Night Football. The Cowboys will be the latest team that attempts to find an answer for the explosive offense of the New Orleans Saints. Both the Saints and Cowboys are currently in the playoff field in the NFC with just five weeks to play.
The Cowboys have won three straight games against NFC opponents to improve their record to 6-5 on the season. Dallas is in a first-place tie with the Washington Redskins at the top of the NFC East. The Saints have rattled off ten straight victories after starting their season with a disappointing loss. New Orleans is tied with the Los Angeles Rams for the best record in the NFL. The Saints are a 7.5 point favorite over the Cowboys in this game.
Saints Defense Stopping The Run
The Saints defense has been much improved this season, and they actually feature the best running defense in the NFL. New Orleans is allowing just 73.2 rushing yards per game this season, which is slightly better than the Chicago Bears. The Saints will face one of the league’s best running backs in Ezekiel Elliot in this game. Look for Cameron Jordan and the Saints to spend plenty of time in the Dallas backfield on Thursday night.
Offensively, the Saints look like a video game with all of their weapons and quick strike offense. Quarterback Drew Brees has completed over 76 percent of his passes this season and has thrown 29 passing touchdowns to 13 different receivers. Michael Thomas has been the best receiver for the Saints this season, racking up 1,080 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Running back Alvin Kamara has scored 11 rushing touchdowns this season. New Orleans can score points in a hurry.
Cowboys Need More Offense
The Dallas Cowboys are still looking for more offense as they make their final playoff push. Running back Ezekiel Elliott has emerged as one of the top runners in the league this season, but the Cowboys need more from their passing game. Elliott has racked up 1,074 yards and six touchdowns this season and has been a workhorse of late. Quarterback Dak Prescott is averaging just 199.5 passing yards per game and must have a bigger game in this contest.
Defensively, the Cowboys have been one of the best teams in the NFL this season, and they think they can stop the Saints. Dallas is allowing just 19.4 points per game this season, and rookie Leighton Vander Esch is a defensive player of the year candidate. The Cowboys have recorded 31 sacks this season, and they will need to get pressure on Brees if they want to win this game.
New Orleans Wins in Dallas
Cowboys fans are convinced that they can slow down the Saints offense, but that won’t be the case. Quarterback Drew Brees has been putting up historic numbers in the passing game, and the Saints won’t slow down on Thursday night. The Cowboys don’t have the offense needed to keep up with the Saints in this one. Look for this to be a blowout that is won by the road team. Bet the New Orleans Saints -7.5 over the Dallas Cowboys.
