The New Orleans Saints dominated the Dallas Cowboys 44-19 earning themselves an undefeated record through two weeks. The Saints have been clicking on all sides of the ball and their second 40-point game has revealed New Orleans as a real contender.
After New Orleans dominated the Carolina Panthers in a 47-10 win to open the season, there remained skepticism about the Saints as contenders as they beat up on what was considered one of the weakest teams in the league. That skepticism quickly evaporated after a similarly dominant performance against the Cowboys and their phenomenal defense. New Orleans' offensive scheme has been executed perfectly in these two weeks, leading to a point where the Saints scored on 14 straight drives with Derek Carr at quarterback. The New Orleans' defense also faced a high-powered Cowboys offense that featured one of the league's brightest stars at receiver in CeeDee Lamb. Dallas finished the day scoring just 19 points and failed to score in the red zone. New Orleans' dominant performance against one of the top teams in the league is sure to put the league on notice.
The Saints defense wasn't as polished as it looked in their season opener, but they still managed to hold the high-power Cowboys offense under 20 points. Dallas accumulated 353 yards of offense and earned three red zone attempts. However, New Orleans' defense didn't allow the Cowboys' offense to convert on any of their trips within 20 holding them to 0/3 for the day. The defense also forced two turnovers and sacked quarterback Dak Prescott three times. The Saints' defense will face many other talented offenses throughout the season making their ability to get off the field promising.
Paying older running backs has started to trend downwards in the NFL as many teams opt to find younger backs through the draft, but Alvin Kamara has earned the opportunity to retire with the Saints. The eight-year veteran has back-to-back 100-yard games and 5 touchdowns in two games. The versatility and explosiveness of Kamara make him a perfect fit in the Klint Kubiak offense that has netted him 5.6 yards a carry on 35 attempts. Kamara's mere presence on the field has been enough to cause confusion and uneasiness in opposing defenses.
The former All-Pro has expressed his eagerness to sign a contract with New Orleans and eventually retire with the team. Kamara opted not to holdout during training camp and has been fully bought into the Saints offense. Entering his eighth year with the team, Kamara has remained loyal, efficient, and has been a leader on offense. Securing a player that epitomizes what your organization stands for will not only please fans but also alert future free agents.