Prescott extended his streak without an interception to four games
By Jean-Jacques Taylor ••
The Cowboys (7-5) won their fourth consecutive game Thursday night and assured they will at least remain tied for the NFC East lead. Here are five things to know from NBC 5 Sports’ Pat Doney.
New Orleans had the NFL’s best offense, but DeMarcus Lawrence didn’t care.[[290815791,R]]
He believed in his teammates, and that’s why he said they were going to punish the Saints physically. Well, they did just that.
The Cowboys limited New Orleans to less than 200 yards of total offense and one touchdown as they extended their winning streak to four games and seized control of the NFC East.
Here are Cowboys Insider Jean-Jacques Taylor’s 10 thoughts on the Cowboys’ 13-10 win over the New Orleans Saints:
1. The Saints, who entered the game averaging a league-high 37.6 points, had a first-and-goal from the Dallas 7 early in the second quarter, but failed to score. Linebacker Jaylon Smith made a huge third-down hit on Alvin Kamara, bringing him down at the one following a three-yard gain. On fourth down, DeMarcus Lawrence, Tyrone Crawford and Smith combined to stop Kamara for no gain, preserving the Cowboys’ 10-0 lead.
2. The Cowboys’ defense limited New Orleans to 176 total yards and one 88-yard touchdown drive that was aided by four penalties, including a roughing the punter penalty by Randy Gregory that extended the drive.
3. Leighton VanderEsch recorded a team-high 10 tackles, DeMarcus Lawrence had a sack and a forced fumble, cornerback Anthony Brown had a sack, a tackle for loss and two pass deflections for a unit that limited New Orleans to one play of more than 20 yards.
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4. Byron Jones served notice that he’s one of the NFL’s top cornerbacks, holding Michael Thomas to five catches for 40 yards with a long of 11. He was penalized twice for 22 yards, but he kept Thomas from being a difference-maker. Thomas entered the game with 86 catches for 1,080 yards.
5. Ezekiel Elliott became the first runner to get 20 carries against the Saints’ defense. He finished with 23 carries for 76 yards, a 3.3 average, but he allowed the Cowboys to keep the ball and control the game. He also caught six passes for 60 yards and a touchdown.
6. Dallas, which kept the ball for 36:53, had drives of 12, 14 and 16 plays, which allowed them to shorten the game. Each team had only nine possessions.
7. Amari Cooper caught each of the eight passes thrown his way for 75 yards as he continues to give Dak Prescott a receiver he can trust in critical situations.
8. Prescott completed 24 of 28 passes for 248 yards and a touchdown. If he hadn’t missed a wide open Michael Gallup for a touchdown in the fourth quarter his numbers would’ve been even more gaudy. He had runs of 15 and 11 yards that helped Dallas sustain drives. He lost a fumble, but overall he outplayed Brees by a wide margin.
9. The Cowboys won a game for the first time all season when they had a turnover. They lost two fumbles as Prescott extended his streak without an interception to four games.
10. The pass rush affected Brees, who completed 18 of 28 passes for 127 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He was sacked twice - hit five other times - fumbled once and harassed much of the night. He had been sacked just 10 times this season and had been hit only five times in November.
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 05: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform as the Dallas Cowboys take on the Seattle Seahawks in the first half during the Wild Card Round at AT&T Stadium on January 05, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 05: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform as the Dallas Cowboys take on the Seattle Seahawks in the first half during the Wild Card Round at AT&T Stadium on January 05, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 23: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform during halftime as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 23: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform during halftime as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 23: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform during halftime as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 23: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform at halftime during the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 23: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform at halftime during the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 23: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform before the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 09: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders at AT&T Stadium on December 09, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 05: A Dallas Cowboys cheerleader performs at AT&T Stadium on November 05, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 05: A Dallas Cowboys cheerleader performs at AT&T Stadium on November 05, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 05: A Dallas Cowboys cheerleader performs at AT&T Stadium on November 05, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 05: A Dallas Cowboys cheerleader performs at AT&T Stadium on November 05, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 05: A Dallas Cowboys cheerleader performs at AT&T Stadium on November 05, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - NOVEMBER 05: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform during the game against the Tennessee Titans at AT&T Stadium on November 5, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - NOVEMBER 05: A Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader performs during the game against the Tennessee Titans at AT&T Stadium on November 5, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 14: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at AT&T Stadium on October 14, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 14: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at AT&T Stadium on October 14, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 14: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on October 14, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 14: The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders perform at AT&T Stadium on October 14, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 14: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform during the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at AT&T Stadium on October 14, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
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AUSTIN, TX - OCTOBER 21: The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders stand in the Paddock during the United States Formula One Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas on October 21, 2018 in Austin, United States. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 30: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders take a knee while a player is being tended to on the field at AT&T Stadium on September 30, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 30: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform as the Dallas Cowboys take on the Detroit Lions at AT&T Stadium on September 30, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 30: A Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader performs at AT&T Stadium on September 30, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 30: A Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader performs at AT&T Stadium on September 30, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 30: A Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader performs at AT&T Stadium on September 30, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 30: A Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader performs at AT&T Stadium on September 30, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 30: A Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader performs at AT&T Stadium on September 30, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 16: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform before the game between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on September 16, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 16: A Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader performs during the game between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on September 16, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 16: A Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader performs during the game between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on September 16, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 16: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform in the fourth quarter as the Dallas Cowboys take on the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium on September 16, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 16: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform in the fourth quarter as the Dallas Cowboys take on the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium on September 16, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 16: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform before a game against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium on September 16, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 16: A Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader performs at AT&T Stadium on September 16, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 16: A Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader performs at AT&T Stadium on September 16, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 16: A Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader performs at AT&T Stadium on September 16, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX - AUGUST 18: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform in the second quarter as the Dallas Cowboys take on the Cincinnati Bengals at AT&T Stadium on August 18, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
