Defense lifts Dallas over sinking New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS » Ceedee Lamb had 122 yards from scrimmage, Tony Pollard had a 58-yard touchdown run and the Dallas defense produced timely sacks and turnovers in the Cowboys’ 27-17 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night.
The Cowboys intercepted Saints quarterback Taysom Hill three times in the final 6:32 of the game, including defensive tackle Carlos Watkins’ pick-6 on a screen pass that made it 27-10 with 2:52 left.
The Saints gave the dual threat Hill his first start this season in hopes that he could help New Orleans end a four-game skid. He was effective in spurts, passing for 264 yards and two touchdowns — and running for 101 yards — but he threw four interceptions.
Dak Prescott passed for 238 yards and a 1-yard touchdown to Michael Gallup as Dallas (8-4) won without coach Mike Mccarthy and five assistants because of positive COVID-19 tests. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was the Cowboys’ acting head coach.
Prescott was intercepted by Marshon Lattimore in the middle of the fourth quarter, but the Cowboys canceled that turnover out when Jourdan Lewis hit Hill’s arm as he released the ball and Damontae Kazee intercepted.
That was the first of Dallas’ three late interceptions. The Saints’ next drive stalled on a pick by Trevon Diggs, his league-leading ninth. And Watkins’ interception came on the drive after that.
Deonte Harris turned a short pass into a late 70-yard TD for New Orleans (5-7), but the Saints could not recover an onside kick and the Cowboys ran out the clock.