Cowboys silence Brees, snap Saints’ win streak

ARLINGTON, Texas — Ezekiel Elliott scored the only Dallas touchdown on a 16-yard screen pass and the Cowboys’ defense stifled Drew Brees and the Saints, ending New Orleans’ 10-game winning streak with a 13-10 victory Thursday.

Dallas (7-5) won its fourth in a row to assure it will at least remain tied for the NFC East lead for another week.

New Orleans (10-2) was shut out in the first half, had its fewest points in four years and finished with a season-low 176 yards total offense. The Saints missed a chance to match Dallas’ effort of two years ago, when then-rookies Elliott and Dak Prescott led the Cowboys to 11 consecutive wins after an opening loss.

Brees had his fewest yards passing in a first half since joining the Saints in 2006 with 39, and couldn’t get a potential winning drive going in the final minutes.

Instead, Jourdan Lewis’ interception — the third for Brees, who became the NFL’s first with at least 30 TD passes in 10 seasons — gave the Cowboys a chance to run out the clock from the New Orleans 1 after an interference penalty in the end zone with 1:58 remaining in the game.

“The biggest thing we tried to do was focus on ourselves and play the way we’re capable of playing,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. “Play sound, fundamental defense, play fast, play physical, win the line of scrimmage and be a great tackling team, contest throws.”

Brees was 18-for-28 for 127 yards, the second straight game and third overall under 200 yards for the MVP contender. The Saints’ running game didn’t do much either, with Alvin Kamara getting 36 yards rushing.

“As an offense, we think complementary football,” Brees said. “Let’s put together a drive. Let’s keep our defense off the field. Let’s control the game, control the clock, control the ball. Just never felt like we really did that as an offense like we’ve done this year.”

“We didn’t have the balance that we’ve had in prior games,” coach Sean Payton added. “We struggled running the ball with any consistency. We didn’t make enough happen on the first and second downs.”

Prescott had 194 of his 248 yards passing while helping the Cowboys to a 13-0 halftime lead — the first scoreless first half for the Saints since 2014 and their first deficit in five games.