NFL Week 15 Saturday, December 19 – 8:20 pm ET – NFL Network Dallas Cowboys (8-5) vs. New Orleans Saints (13-0).
In Saturday’s game between Dallas and New Orleans, one team is trying to keep pushing to make history while the other is trying to avoid another historic meltdown.
The New Orleans Saints are 13-0 and looking to become the third team in modern NFL history to finish the regular season undefeated, joining the 1972 Miami Dolphins and 2007 New England Patriots.
Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys are looking to snap a two-game losing streak that is becoming reminiscent of last season’s flops in December, which cost the Cowboys a playoff spot.
The Cowboys and Saints will play on NFL Network’s Saturday Night Football beginning at 8:20 pm ET. Dallas, at 8-5, is one game behind Philadelphia in the NFC East. New Orleans, a 7-point favorite in the Cowboys-Saints game, has already clinched the NFC South Division title.
Dallas came close to clinching the NFC East Division title in 2008, opening the season 8-4. However, the Cowboys lost three of their four games in December of last season, including a season-ending 44-6 loss at Philadelphia that also ended Dallas’ playoff hopes.
This season, since a 20-16 win at Philadelphia on Nov. 8, the Cowboys have stumbled to three losses in five games. Also, the two wins weren’t impressive, as the Cowboys only beat teams with a combined 8-18 record. The Cowboys have lost to all three playoff contenders they’ve faced during that stretch, losing 17-7 at Green Bay, 31-24 at the New York Giants and 20-17 at home to San Diego.
Going into the Cowboys-Saints game, the Saints may not have dominated their opponents lately like they did earlier in the season, but they continue to find ways to win. New Orleans won in Washington, 33-30 in overtime, on December 6 and in Atlanta, 26-23, on December 13. Before those two close wins, New Orleans had won 10 of its first 11 games by at least eight points.
Defense will be key for the Cowboys against the Saints, as New Orleans has scored at least 24 points in every game this season. Saints quarterback Drew Brees is having a career season, throwing for at least 290 yards in nine of his 13 games this season.
Meanwhile, the Dallas defense has allowed more than 21 points just twice all season, both times in losses to the Giants. The Cowboys’ offense hasn’t scored more than 24 points in its last six games, despite solid play from quarterback Tony Romo, who has thrown for 950 yards and seven touchdowns with zero interceptions in Dallas’ last three games.
The Cowboys and Saints last played on Dec. 10, 2006, when New Orleans won, 42-17, despite being a 7.5-point underdog. Free NFL picks on the winning side and total.