New Orleans Saints vs Dallas Cowboys Match Player Stats (Sep 15, 2024)

Alvin Kamara torched Dallas for four touchdowns and 180 total yards as New Orleans beat the Cowboys 44-19 on September 15, 2024, in a dominant road performance that ended their opponent’s 16-game home winning streak. Player statistics from the New Orleans Saints vs Dallas Cowboys matchup show total control at AT&T Stadium, where Derek Carr threw for 243 yards on just 16 attempts while Dak Prescott’s two interceptions doomed Dallas in front of 93,691 fans. The defensive breakdowns exposed gaps that would plague the Cowboys throughout September 2024.

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Game Leaders

Saints vs Cowboys Quarterback Stats Comparison

Carr carved up Dallas with surgical precision, averaging 15.2 yards per attempt while Prescott managed just 7.5. That efficiency gap decided everything. Just nine seconds after Brandon Aubrey kicked a field goal to cut the deficit to 7-3, Carr launched a precise deep ball to Rashid Shaheed. The receiver hauled it in at full stride, split both safeties, and left Dallas defenders grasping at air on the 70-yard touchdown.

The second scoring pass featured perfect execution on a screen to Kamara in the second quarter. Two defenders closed in. Kamara made them miss with a subtle shoulder fake, then burst through the opening. He found the left sideline and outran everyone for 57 yards and a 21-6 lead.

Prescott attempted 39 passes trying to keep pace, constantly working from behind after New Orleans built an early 14-3 advantage. The pattern of defensive struggles continued in Week 3 when Baltimore rushed for 274 yards with Derrick Henry gaining 151 in another Cowboys home loss, problems that plagued Dallas throughout September 2024.

New Orleans Dallas Rushing Yards Breakdown

Saints Ground Attack

Dallas Ground Attack

New Orleans rushed for 190 yards on 39 carries while Dallas managed just 68 yards on 21 attempts. That 122-yard difference controlled possession and dictated tempo for four quarters. Kamara became the only player in Saints history to record four touchdowns in multiple games, scoring from 5, 12, and 7 yards out.

Dallas’s longest run gained 8 yards. Unable to establish any ground game, Prescott faced obvious passing situations where New Orleans could rush without hesitation. NFL teams that can’t run effectively rarely control games.

Cowboys Saints Receiving Statistics

Saints Pass Catchers

Dallas Pass Catchers

Shaheed’s 70-yard touchdown marked the longest completion by a Saint since 2021, according to the official Saints recap. Carr’s timing and touch on that throw showed exactly why New Orleans’s offense worked efficiently in this Week 2 matchup.

Olave contributed four catches for 81 yards, including a 39-yard grab over the middle that set up Kamara’s first touchdown. The receiver also carried once for 7 yards on a jet sweep, which showed offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak’s creativity.

Lamb briefly gave Dallas hope with a 65-yard score in the second quarter. The star receiver caught a pass on the right sideline, slipped under two Saints defenders, and raced to the end zone. New Orleans led 21-13 as momentum shifted.

Disaster struck on the next series. Jalen Brooks slipped coming out of his route, and Paulson Adebo read it correctly. He jumped the pass for an interception and returned it 47 yards to the Cowboys 20. Three plays later, Carr sneaked in from the 1 to make it 35-13 at halftime.

Defense Player Stats Saints vs Cowboys

New Orleans Defense

Dallas Defense

Taylor had nine tackles with eight solo stops in his first start replacing injured Marshon Lattimore. The cornerback posted career-high tackle numbers as he covered his side of the field effectively all afternoon.

After two defensive holding penalties in the first half, Adebo stayed disciplined when Brooks slipped. He read Prescott’s eyes, jumped the route at the right moment, and turned a potential Dallas scoring drive into a 47-yard return that set up New Orleans’s fifth touchdown.

Mathieu intercepted Prescott in the fourth quarter despite calf cramps. The veteran safety’s 34th career interception leads the NFL since he entered the league in 2013.

Parsons’s three tackles and zero quarterback hits exposed how completely New Orleans neutralized Dallas’s best pass rusher when the Cowboys desperately needed stops.

Special Teams Stats Cowboys-Saints Week 2

Kicking Performance

Punting Performance

Aubrey connected from 52 yards in the first quarter to cut New Orleans’s lead to 7-3, a kick that showed his range. He finished with four field goals and provided 13 of Dallas’s 19 points, though field goals proved meaningless when the Saints kept scoring touchdowns.

Grupe made a 26-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. His extra point attempt after Kamara’s fourth touchdown got blocked by Golston, the only special teams blemish for New Orleans. Both teams punted once late in the fourth quarter with the outcome already settled.

Team Statistics

New Orleans controlled third downs, red zone scoring, and time of possession. The Saints converted 62.5% of third downs while Dallas managed 46.2%. But red zone efficiency decided this matchup. New Orleans scored touchdowns on four of five trips inside the 20. Dallas went 0 for 3 and settled for field goals each time.

That 0-for-3 red zone futility cost Dallas nine potential points. Touchdowns instead of field goals would have made this 28-25 late instead of 41-19. The inability to finish drives in scoring position epitomized Dallas’s offensive struggles throughout this September 2024 loss.

Quarter by Quarter Scoring Saints-Cowboys

New Orleans scored on their opening drive, marching 80 yards in seven plays. Kamara capped it with a 5-yard run off right tackle. Dallas answered with Aubrey’s 52-yard field goal, but Carr hit Shaheed for the 70-yard touchdown just nine seconds later.

New Orleans scored 21 second-quarter points. The Saints became just the fifth team in NFL history to score at least 44 points in each of their first two games, according to ESPN’s game recap. Only the 2009 Saints also achieved that feat before winning the Super Bowl.

Franchise Records Saints-Cowboys Matchup

This victory ended Dallas’s 16-game home winning streak that stretched back to early 2022. New Orleans scored touchdowns on their first six possessions for only the second time in franchise history, first accomplishing this feat at Detroit in December 2008.

The 91 combined points through two games (47 against Carolina, 44 against Dallas) ranked second-most by any NFL team in the first two weeks since the 1970 merger. Only the 2009 Saints scored more with 93 points during their championship season.

Dallas allowed 35 first-half points, tying their franchise record for most given up before halftime. The Cowboys official recap noted defensive breakdowns came from missed tackles and blown assignments rather than scheme failures.

Career Milestones From This Saints-Cowboys Game

Kamara’s performance in this matchup elevated him into elite company. His 83 career touchdowns match Joey Galloway, Anquan Boldin, and Brandon Marshall in NFL history. Among running backs, only 56 players have scored more rushing touchdowns than Kamara’s 58, putting him alongside Mike Alstott and Jamal Lewis.

With 512 career receptions, Kamara tied Earnest Byner and Herschel Walker for 14th among NFL running backs. He surpassed 6,000 career rushing yards, becoming just the third Saint to reach that milestone after Deuce McAllister and Mark Ingram II.

Carr’s 247th career touchdown pass tied Boomer Esiason for 26th in NFL history at the time. Demario Davis played in his 100th consecutive start for New Orleans, tying Johnnie Poe and Jerry Fontenot for 62nd on the Saints’ all-time games played list.

Season Impact and Aftermath

New Orleans improved to 2-0 for the second consecutive season, matching their 2009 and 2010 teams. First-year offensive coordinator Kubiak’s system produced 15 consecutive scoring possessions to start the 2024 campaign. Carr completed 77% of his passes for 443 yards and five touchdowns through two weeks.

“I promised our team, and I promised our city I would do anything,” Carr said after the game. “I know it’s not going to be perfect, but I will do everything in my power.”

Dallas dropped to 1-1 with serious questions about their run defense. The Cowboys allowed 190 rushing yards to New Orleans, then gave up 274 yards to Baltimore the following week when Derrick Henry rushed for 151 yards in another home loss.

“It’s hard to say we were pressing,” Prescott said postgame. “You want to do your part and score touchdowns. We weren’t able to score touchdowns.”

Mike McCarthy addressed execution failures. “That’s a team that plays to their strength and their profile. We were not clean enough to get the win today.”

Jerry Jones spoke bluntly about the loss. “So extraordinarily disappointed for our fans. We will correct this. We will improve from where we played out there today.”

Statistical Analysis and Final Context

The Saints vs Cowboys statistics from September 15 exposed the gap between an efficient offense and a defense that couldn’t stop the run. New Orleans outgained Dallas 432 to 353 in total yards and averaged 7.7 yards per play compared to 5.3. The 122-yard rushing advantage controlled this Sunday afternoon matchup at AT&T Stadium.

New Orleans dominated a quality opponent on the road in Week 2. While the Saints eventually faced challenges as injuries mounted later in 2024, this performance demonstrated the offensive potential when Carr and Kamara connected in Kubiak’s system. Fifteen consecutive scoring possessions to start a season remains remarkable.

Dallas struggled with the same defensive issues throughout 2024. Teams copied New Orleans’s blueprint: attack on the ground, control possession, limit Dallas’s explosive offense. The Cowboys’ inability to adjust made this more than just one early-season defeat.

Pro Football Reference provides complete play-by-play coverage and advanced metrics from this dominant New Orleans road victory.