Dallas Cowboys vs. New Orleans Saints: Full New Orleans Game Preview

The New Orleans Saints, still seeking their first win of the season, will host the Dallas Cowboys in a Week 4 prime-time matchup on Sunday Night Football.

After going 0-4 in the preseason, New Orleans (0-3) has come out on the losing end every time it’s taken the field in 2015, and coach Sean Payton and his staff continue to search for answers. 

The Saints are coming off a 27-22 loss to the unbeaten Carolina Panthers in Week 3. Playing on the road without star quarterback Drew Brees, Payton’s club battled hard, but Cam Newton and the Panthers passing game proved too much to overcome.

Despite the loss, New Orleans received inspired play from quarterback Luke McCown, who went 31-of-38 filling in for Brees.

The Cowboys, meanwhile, are looking to bounce back after suffering their first defeat of the season last Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, a 39-28 loss.

Like New Orleans, Dallas (2-1) was also down a starting quarterback in Week 3. Former Cleveland Browns starter Brandon Weeden filled in for the injured Tony Romo, and the Cowboys offense was productive with the fourth-year veteran under center.

Read on for a full preview of this Sunday night matchup, which kicks off at 8:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. CT.

Drew Brees Looking to Return to Lineup

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

After sitting out last week with a shoulder injury, Drew Brees is working to get himself back onto the field for Sunday night’s contest.

According to ESPN.com Saints reporter Mike Triplett, the New Orleans signal-caller received a positive evaluation from Dr. James Andrews on Monday. Andrews performed surgery on Brees’ shoulder after the 2005 season.

Brees, who was limited in workouts Wednesday, said, via Triplett, "I’ll see how the shoulder responds tomorrow and for the rest of the week. But each day I’m able to do more and more; each day I feel stronger. Each day there’s more range of motion, more strength, and so that’s the key."

In the first two games of the season, Brees completed 54 of 86 passes for 610 yards and two scores but also tossed two interceptions and was sacked six times. 

News and Notes

Tim Sharp/Associated Press

Saints-Cowboys Series

New Orleans and Dallas have met 27 times, and the Cowboys hold a 16-11 edge in the series.

The teams first met in the Saints' inaugural season of 1967, as coach Tom Landry’s Cowboys squad posted a 14-10 win at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

It would take New Orleans five tries before it finally earned a win over Landry’s club, and it took the Saints another seven attempts to beat Dallas a second time.

Recent history has been much kinder to New Orleans, however, and the Saints have won eight of the last 10.

For the Saints, the most memorable of their recent matchups with the Cowboys was perhaps the 2013 contest. In front of a packed house at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Drew Brees and the seemingly unstoppable New Orleans offense set an NFL record for first downs in a game with 40, as the Saints blasted Dallas, 49-17.

Last season, Tony Romo and the Cowboys avenged that loss with a 38-17 demolition of the Saints at AT&T Stadium.

Akiem Hicks Traded

When a team starts 0-3, a few early-season player evaluations certainly aren’t out of order. The Saints apparently decided Akiem Hicks was no longer in their future plans, as they traded the starting defensive end to the New England Patriots on Wednesday, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.

In exchange for Hicks, the Saints received tight end Michael Hoomanawanui from the Patriots. A fifth-round pick of the St. Louis Rams in 2010, Hoomanawanui is known for his prowess as a blocker and has no receptions thus far this season. 

The 6’5”, 325-pound Hicks is a versatile lineman who can man the end spot in either a 3-4 or a 4-3 alignment, but he can also move to the inside in sub-packages.

Despite his impressive measurables, a lack of on-field production has become a major issue for the 2012 third-round pick. After a disappointing season in 2014, he’s recorded just two tackles this year.

Home Sweet Dome?

The Superdome has long been feared throughout the league as one of the toughest venues to play in. When the Saints have a quality product on the field, the building can make for a nightmarish environment for a visiting team.

Such has been the case throughout the Sean Payton era in New Orleans, although the Saints’ reputation for having a distinct home-field advantage has taken a big hit recently.

The team has dropped six straight games in the Superdome, and it’s now been 11 calendar months since Payton’s club won a football game in its home stadium.

Despite the Saints on-field woes this season, it’s difficult to imagine the home crowd not being amped for a Sunday night showdown with the Cowboys, and the Superdome will be rocking come kickoff time.

Injury Report

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

The Saints released their first injury report of the week Wednesday on the team’s official site, and it's easy to conclude that New Orleans is a banged-up football team right now. 

Starting guard Jahri Evans, who was out last week at Carolina with a knee injury, did not practice. Starting defensive end Cam Jordan was also held out of practice with a back injury.

In addition to Brees, four other starters were limited in the workout: safety Jairus Byrd (knee), wide receiver Brandin Cooks (ankle), linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (toe) and cornerback Keenan Lewis (hip).

Key Matchups to Watch

Tim Sharp/Associated Press

Saints Defensive Front vs. Cowboys Offensive Line

The Dallas offensive line is widely regarded as one of the best in football, and the Saints defensive front will be hard-pressed to hold its own in this one.

Through three games, the New Orleans pass rush has been quite underwhelming. Rookie outside linebacker Hau'oli Kikaha, who dropped Cam Newton for the Saints’ only sack a week ago, and second-year outside linebacker Kasim Edebali have been the only bright spots.

While the two young edge-rushers have shown some promise, the New Orleans pass rush, on the whole, has simply failed to deliver thus far this season. That must change Sunday night, but the going won’t be easy for defensive end Cam Jordan and Co. against Cowboys tackles Tyron Smith and Doug Free.

On the inside, Saints defensive tackles John Jenkins and Kevin Williams will also have their hands full against an extremely physical interior group for Dallas. Cowboy guards Zack Martin and Ronald Leary, along with center Travis Frederick and sixth man La'el Collins, are known for their ability to line up and bully opposing defenders off the snap.

If the Saints defensive front isn't up to task from the get-go Sunday night and the Cowboys are able to churn out big chunks of yards on the ground early on, things could quickly turn ugly for New Orleans.

Saints Wide Receivers vs. Cowboys Cornerbacks

The New Orleans wide receiver corps hasn’t been nearly as productive as it has in past seasons, and the downfield passing attack has taken a dramatic nosedive. Only Brandin Cooks has consistently threatened opposing defenses, as Brees and McCown have largely turned to the Saints running backs for production in the passing game.  

Second-year receivers Brandon Coleman and Willie Snead are green and still developing, while 32-year-old Marques Colston simply isn’t the player he once was.

If the Saints are to pull out a win Sunday night, this unit will have to step up and get some separation against Dallas corners Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne and Tyler Patmon.

Whether it’s Brees or McCown who lines up under center, look for the Saints to try to utilize every inch of the field against the Cowboys. A balanced passing attack will help to open up the running game, which has also been a weak area for New Orleans this season.

Saints X-Factor: Marcus Murphy

Mike McCarn/Associated Press

When the Saints signed C.J. Spiller to a four-year deal this offseason, it was widely assumed the explosive running back/kick returner would be playing a key role in the New Orleans return game.

An injury sidelined the former Buffalo Bill during the preseason, however, and Spiller didn’t see his first action in a Saints uniform until Week 2 against Tampa Bay.

In the meantime, seventh-round draft pick Marcus Murphy stepped in and seized the Saints kickoff and punt returner jobs this preseason, and he scored his first NFL touchdown against the Panthers a week ago.

In the early moments of the second half, with the score tied at 10, the rookie running back out of Missouri fielded a punt at his own 26-yard line. He then made a quick move to his left, darted up the sideline, cut back to the middle of the field and then raced to paydirt.

With the 74-yard scoring play, Murphy became just the third Saints rookie to return a punt for a touchdown, joining Tyrone Hughes (1993) and Reggie Bush (2006).

Of course, the exciting run could’ve been a mere flash in the pan, but with the Saints struggling to find playmakers on offense, the emergence of a true weapon in the return game would certainly be welcomed with open arms by Payton and the coaching staff. 

Prediction

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

Without Tony Romo under center last week, the Cowboys offense wasn't as explosive as usual, but it was efficient. With running backs Joseph Randle and Darren McFadden carrying the load, Dallas managed to churn out 127 yards on the ground at an average of six yards per carry. 

This capable unit will challenge the New Orleans defense on the ground as well as through the air on Sunday, and the Saints will need to pressure Weeden with regularity in order to have a chance. 

Given Luke McCown's solid performance last week, the quarterback position isn't the overwhelming issue for the Saints offense. The ability to get separation on the outside, along with the ability to run the football effectively, will again be key for this unit. 

Even with Romo out, however, the Saints have too many weaknesses to get the better of a solid all-around club like Dallas in this one. The lack of both a consistent pass rush and a reliable ground game have plagued New Orleans in every outing thus far, and Sunday night will be no different. 

The Saints may feed off their home crowd and put up a fight, but look for the Cowboys to prevail in the end. 

Cowboys 27, Saints 20