When head coach Mike McCarthy was unavailable, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn stepped up to lead the Dallas Cowboys to a 27-17 victory over the New Orleans Saints.
Early in the game, Dak Prescott delivered a short pass to Michael Gallup, who sprinted a yard into the end zone to secure the first touchdown within the last minute of the initial quarter. Taysom Hill responded for the Saints with a touchdown pass in the second quarter, but the Cowboys managed to add two field goals, leading with a score of 13-7 at halftime.
The gap began to narrow as the Saints scored a field goal in the third quarter, closing in at 13-10. However, Tony Pollard broke free for a 58-yard touchdown run for the Cowboys late in the quarter, doubling the Saints’ score as they headed into the final quarter. The Cowboys’ defense dominated, stopping Hill on multiple attempts in the last minutes of the game.
A pivotal moment came when Carlos Watkins intercepted one of Hill’s passes and ran 29 yards for another Cowboys touchdown. Despite a late touchdown by Hill with just over two minutes remaining, the Saints were unable to catch up to the Cowboys’ lead.
