Two of Mississippi’s favorite NFL teams squared off Sunday, with the New Orleans Saints taking down the Dallas Cowboys 44-19 at AT&T Stadium.
While many fans thought the Saints’ successful offensive attack in week one might have been a one-off considering they were playing a weak Carolina Panthers team, those same naysayers found themselves pleased with an explosive attack repeated against a talented Dallas defense that came into the season projected as a top three unit in the NFC.
New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara stole the show with four touchdowns – three rushing and one passing – while quarterback Derek Carr threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns to go along with a diving score into the end zone.
The Kubiak attack
Under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, New Orleans set a franchise record against Carolina by starting the season with points on nine consecutive possessions. Kubiak and company followed the feat up by scoring on their first six drives against Dallas, virtually putting the game out of reach in the third quarter. A fourth-quarter field goal off the foot of Blake Grupe provided some insurance in the 44-19 win.
Kubiak, the quarterbacks coach in San Francisco a season ago, has successfully implemented his aggressive scheme through two weeks. The strategy has shown elements of what 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has used to get his team to three Super Bowls.
Against the Cowboys, the Saints accounted for 432 yards of total offense while averaging nearly five yards per carry. Besides improved protection from the offensive line, differing packages helped free up the likes of Kamara, Jamaal Williams, Taysom Hill, and Rashid Shaheed.
After the game, Kamara said the offense is thriving under Kubiak’s guidance and looks forward to how it plays out the rest of the season.
“We were able to gout there and execute, limit the self-inflicted wounds, and have explosive plays,” Kamara told reporters. “The sky’s the limit.”
What the head coach said
While the players are obviously pleased with Kubiak’s new-look offense, so is head coach Dennis Allen.
“We’re excited about getting the win against a good football team while being able to run the football and put ourselves in manageable situations. I believe our offensive line did a great job executing,” Allen said. “We believe in [Kubiak’s] system and method, which shows on the field. I think they believe this will give them a good chance to win. This is the next step for us.”
The defensive-minded Allen has faced scrutiny in the past for lackluster offenses, but replacing Pete Carmichael with Kubiak is so far looking like the key to unlocking that side of the ball and getting the Saints back to the postseason for the first time since 2020.
Mississippi connection
While New Orleans being close in proximity to the Magnolia State has resulted in decades of fandom, the Cowboys are led by former Mississippi State star Dak Prescott at quarterback. Now the highest-paid player at his position, Prescott did not look like the league’s best signal-caller against a stout Saints defense.
Prescott finished 27 of 39 passing for 293 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. It wasn’t all his fault, though, as New Orleans kept its pressure consistent with three sacks and two fourth-down stops to end a 16-game regular season win streak the Cowboys had going into the game.
Other Mississippi connections of note on Sunday were Saints linebacker and Brandon native Demario Davis, who had five tackles (three solo). Former Mississippi State safety J.T. Gray played a vital role as always on special teams.
For Dallas, rookie running back Deuce Vaughn had four carries for 11 yards. Vaughn’s father, Chris, was an assistant coach at Ole Miss from 2008-11 and now works as the assistant director of college scouting for the Cowboys. Former Mississippi State defensive end Tyrus Wheat had one tackle on the day.
Next up
The Saints (2-0) will host the Philadelphia Eagles at Caesar’s Superdome, while Dallas (1-1) will host the Baltimore Ravens. Both games are set for Sunday, Sept. 22, with the Saints kicking off at noon CT and the Cowboys at 3:25 p.m. CT.
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