Saints Edge Cowboys 27-24 in Preseason Week 3
New Orleans Saints 27, Dallas Cowboys 24 at AT&T Stadium. Zach Wilson went 9 of 12 for 93 yards.
Quarter Scoring
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Saints | 10 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 27 |
 Cowboys | 3 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 24 |
Cowboys Leaders
Saints Leaders
Team Stats
| Saints | Stat | Cowboys |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | 1st Downs | 18 |
| 10 | Passing 1st downs | 9 |
| 11 | Rushing 1st downs | 7 |
| 2 | 1st downs from penalties | 2 |
| 3-9 | 3rd down efficiency | 6-14 |
| 1-1 | 4th down efficiency | 1-2 |
| 56 | Total Plays | 61 |
| 326 | Total Yards | 328 |
| 5.8 | Yards per Play | 5.4 |
| 10 | Total Drives | 9 |
| 157 | Passing | 237 |
| 17/22 | Comp/Att | 20/33 |
| 6.5 | Yards per pass | 6.8 |
| 0 | Interceptions thrown | 0 |
| 2-15 | Sacks-Yards Lost | 2-10 |
| 169 | Rushing | 91 |
| 32 | Rushing Attempts | 26 |
| 5.3 | Yards per rush | 3.5 |
| 3-4 | Red Zone (Made-Att) | 0-0 |
| 4-39 | Penalties | 6-45 |
| 0 | Turnovers | 0 |
| 0 | Fumbles lost | 0 |
| 0 | Interceptions thrown | 0 |
| 0 | Defensive / Special Teams TDs | 0 |
| 30:17 | Possession | 29:43 |
Scoring Plays
10 scores Preseason Finale: Cowboys' Backup QB Race Comes Down to the Wire vs. Saints
Read the full recap →The New Orleans Saints travel to Dallas on Friday, August 28. New Orleans enters with its starting quarterback situation settled, Tyler Shough atop the depth chart with Spencer Rattler holding an edge over Zach Wilson for the No. 2 job. Dallas's own backup race between Joe Milton and Sam Howell is described as neck and neck heading into the finale, with Dak Prescott and the rest of Dallas's starters sitting essentially the entire preseason under coach Brian Schottenheimer.
Milton-Howell battle reaches its final test
With the competition tightening after Milton closed what was once Howell's edge, this finale carries real weight for Dallas's backup quarterback decision.
Saints' depth chart is more settled
With Shough entrenched and Rattler ahead of Wilson, New Orleans enters this game with a clearer plan than Dallas.
Both teams manage season-ending injuries
Dallas lost tight end Princeton Fant to season-ending surgery, while New Orleans placed cornerback Rezjohn Wright on season-ending injured reserve with a hip injury.
Pregame AI Prediction
How the prediction did
Predicted 17-20 (Saints vs Cowboys), final was 27-24. New Orleans beat Dallas 27-24, missing the model's projected winner in a game that came in close to the projected margin.
Saints Cowboys Dallas's backup QBs have real incentive in this finale
With the competition tight and a decision looming, both Milton and Howell have extra motivation to perform well.
New Orleans' settled depth chart is a stabilizing factor
Knowing the pecking order ahead of time tends to produce steadier execution than an open competition.
Home field offers a modest tiebreaker
With both team's true starters sitting, Dallas gets a slight edge from playing at home.
This is a preseason exhibition finale. Dallas's tight backup quarterback competition is the headline storyline, keeping this projection close and low-confidence.
Venue
Closing Line
Officials
Futures odds for these teams
Super Bowl futures, win totals & where to bet
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Cowboys Injuries