Where: Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas (indoors, turf)
When: Sunday, 1 p.m. (Fox)
Spread: Cowboys by 3
Records: Saints (6-8; NFC South 3-2); Cowboys (8-6; NFC East 3-2)
Past results: Two most recent meetings -- Nov. 25, 2010: Saints won 30-27 in Dallas on Thanksgiving; Dec. 19, 2009 -- Dallas won 24-17 in New Orleans. Series record: Cowboys lead 15-9. The last two games have been memorable. The Cowboys handed the Saints their first loss after 13 victories in 2009. In 2010, Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins stripped Dallas receiver Roy Williams after a long gain to the New Orleans 11 with 3:03 left, and Drew Brees led an 89-yard drive for the winning score.
What matters: Pride. The Saints likely will be eliminated from playoff consideration at some point Sunday regardless of the outcome, but a win over the Cowboys would be more meaningful than last week’s 41-0 trouncing of moribund Tampa Bay. The Bucs capitulated early. The Cowboys won’t, having won three consecutive games with fourth-quarter comebacks to vault into a tie for first in the NFC East. If the Saints win this one, they can legitimately claim to have found their form after a disappointing season. Teams with little to play for aren’t supposed to win on the road against streaking opponents in the middle of a playoff push.
If the Saints do it, they will earn points for toughness and resilience even if it won’t help extend the season.
Who matters: Saints RB Mark Ingram is playing better than at any time of his two-year NFL career, and the Cowboys’ run defense is vulnerable. Before shutting down Pittsburgh’s ground game last week, they had given up 149 rushing yards to Washington, 183 to Philadelphia and 146 to Cincinnati in consecutive weeks. If Ingram is effective early, the Saints won’t have to throw on almost every down, normally a bad formula for success against Dallas. QB Drew Brees has been plagued by interceptions in the Saints’ recent losses, but the Cowboys are tied for last in the league with seven picks—two fewer than Brees threw in a three-game stretch vs. San Francisco, Atlanta and the Giants. The Saints are 3-1 when he does not throw an interception and have averaged 33.5 points in those games.
Key matchups: Saints OTs vs. Cowboys OLBs DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer. Ware, who is questionable with an elbow injury but likely will play, usually rushes from the right side, which would put him against LT Jermon Bushrod. That leaves Spencer to take on either the gimpy RT Zach Strief, who is trying to come back from an ankle sprain after missing three earlier games with a groin problem, or untested Will Robinson, who started for the first time in his career last Sunday. Spencer has registered 5 ½ sacks in the last four games, so Strief will have his hands full. Ware has only 2 ½ sacks in his last six games, so that battle is winnable. … Tony Romo vs. the Saints secondary. Romo has been white hot in the last six weeks, and New Orleans is second-to-last in passing yards allowed (287.0 yards per game). Still, the Saints picked off four passes for the first 10 time in 10 years vs. the Bucs last Sunday. Veteran CB Jabari Greer had two of them. Nickel corner Elbert Mack and safeties Isa Abdul-Quddus and Rafael Bush, all unknown quantities, also played well in the absence of Malcolm Jenkins. This isn’t the mismatch it may appear to be.
Injuries of note: Jenkins has been put on IR with his knee injury and is done for the year. RBs Chris Ivory (hamstring) and Pierre Thomas (knee) are questionable along with CB Patrick Robinson (groin). FB Jed Collins (toe, knee) won’t play.
Inside stuff: The Saints aren’t interested in the subtext of this game, with a victory possibly paving the way for suspended coach Sean Payton to take over next season in Dallas, where his family lives. Cowboys coach Jason Garrett won’t get fired if they make the playoffs, and a New Orleans loss would help Dallas’ chances. Brees said he is sure Payton, whose contract expires after the season, will be back in New Orleans. No one on the roster is thinking about the potential negative ramifications of a win.
Connection: Brees was born in Dallas and grew up in Austin, Texas as a Cowboys fan.
Stat you should know: The Saints are second in the NFL in passing yards (298.1) and the Cowboys are fourth (294.8). The Saints are 24th in rushing (99.9) and the Cowboys are 31st (80.4). The ball should be flying.
Bulletin board quote: “He has Brett Favre like characteristics. He has the same arm action. The ball comes out flat and he has a low trajectory. He buys time, has pocket awareness, can make the impromptu play and has his A-game going right now.” –Saints interim coach Joe Vitt on Romo
Looking ahead: The Saints finish the season at home against the Panthers. That game will have zero playoff implications unless the Saints beat Dallas and the Giants, Vikings and Bears all lose this Sunday.
Prediction: Saints 27-24
Follow Saints reporter Guerry Smith on twitter @CBSSaints.
