Saints Pass Defense To Challenge Explosive Cowboys Passing Game

Examining a strength vs. strength showdown when the New Orleans pass defense takes on an explosive Dallas passing game.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) runs under pressure from New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) / Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

Week 2 of the NFL season will include the New Orleans Saints facing off against the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas easily handled the Browns by a 33-17 on opening week. The Saints also come in at 1-0 after a 47-10 thrashing of Carolina.

New Orleans is expected to have one of the league's top defenses in 2024. Only one team gave up fewer points or yards than the Saints during opening week. They are expected to be especially strong against the pass, an area where they've ranked in the league's top-10 in three of the last four years.

The Saints will square off against a productive Cowboys attack. Dallas has held a top-5 ranking in both points and total yardage in each of the last two campaigns. The Cowboys are especially explosive with their passing game, where they've ranked in the top-10 in four of five seasons and earned top-5 production three times.

It will be strength vs. strength on this side of the ball when New Orleans comes into Dallas on Sunday. Here are how the two strengths line up against each other

Saints Pass Defense

New Orleans Saints defensive back Alontae Taylor (1) celebrates his third sack of the day against the Carolina Panthers / USA TODAY NETWORK

New Orleans returns all of the 2023 defensive personnel that ranked 10th against the pass and intercepted the third most passes (18) in the league. In fact, they even added key pieces in DE Chase Young, LB Willie Gay Jr., S Will Harris, and rookie CB Kool-Aid McKinstry. Remember that elite CB Marshon Lattimore also missed the last seven games of last season.

Lattimore (hamstring) left last week's win over Carolina. Early indications show that he'll be ready to go against Dallas, but his status deserves close monitoring. Lattimore is one of the best corners in the league and has the ability to shadow and shut down elite wideouts in one-on-one matchups.

Paulson Adebo had the best year of his career in 2023. Adebo intercepted a team-high four passes, broke up 18 others (third most in the NFL), and allowed just 55% completion percentage when targeted. When Lattimore was out, he showed perfectly capable of containing an opponent’s top receiver.

Alontae Taylor has developed into a versatile defensive weapon. The physical Taylor can be a standout in coverage on the outside, but is also improving rapidly in the slot. Additionally, he's been a disruptive blitzer from various spots around the formation.

If Lattimore can't go, we'll see more snaps from promising rookie McKinstry or preseason sensation Rico Payton. Safeties Tyrann Mathieu, Will Harris, or Jordan Howden may also get more coverage reps in the slot. However, all three are better suited to off-ball coverage or deep support.

New Orleans Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo (29) intercepts a pass against the Tennessee Titans / Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Demario Davis leads a trio of athletic and extremely versatile linebackers for the Saints. Davis and Willie Gay Jr. are both fluid and instinctive in zones with the athleticism to cover backs or tight ends in man responsibilities. Pete Werner can be vulnerable in space but shows good awareness in short zones.

Davis also disrupts opposing quarterbacks as a blitzer. He's had a career-best 6.5 sacks in each of the last two years and recorded one against Carolina. The speedy Gay wasn't used much as a blitzer with Kansas City but has the same disruptive potential as Davis.

New Orleans recorded four sacks against Carolina. It's a promising start for a defense that managed only 34 sacks last season, fourth fewest in the NFL. Better pressure was a point of offseason emphasis for coach Dennis Allen, who was extremely aggressive with blitz packages against the Panthers.

Three sacks were from Taylor and the other from Davis, but the team's defensive line got good penetration all afternoon. End Chase Young led all players with six pressures. Fellow ends Cameron Jordan, Carl Granderson and DTs Bryan Bresee and Nathan Shepherd also disrupted the Panthers protection all afternoon.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) scrambles away from pressuring New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young (99) / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Young, just 25, is showing why he was the second overall choice in the 2020 NFL Draft. If he can stay healthy and maintain a high level of play he looks like he'll be a destructive force for the New Orleans defensive front. Bresee, now entering his second year, can have that same kind of impact along the team's interior.

The potential of Young and Bresee should create one-on-one matchups for ends Granderson and Jordan. Coming off a breakout year, Granderson has improved in each of his first six seasons.

Ideally, Granderson and Young will get the majority of the reps along the edge. Doing so will keep a future Hall of Famer fresh for specific situations or late in games and down the stretch.

Cam Jordan may be 35, but is still capable of changing a game. Limiting his reps or using him in key situations will be the best way to keep him effective. We'll also see Jordan slide inside in obvious passing situations to boost the inside rush alongside Bresee or Shepherd with Granderson and Young on the outside.

Cowboys Passing Attack

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) passes the ball against New Orleans Saints / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Dak Prescott led the NFL in touchdown passes (36) and completions (410) last season while throwing for 4,516 yards. The Cowboys had reasonable balance but make no mistake, their offense is reliant on the success of Prescott and his wide receivers.

Prescott threw a league-high 15 interceptions, in just 12 games, in 2022. He cut that total down to nine last year while completing a career-best 69.5% of his passes. He was also sacked 39 times, the second highest total over his first eight seasons.

The Cowboys responded by adding two new offensive linemen early in the draft. First-round pick Tyler Guyton will man the left tackle spot. Third-round choice Cooper Beebe won the starting center job. Impressive Tyler Smith, a 2022 first-round pick, flanks Guyton at left guard. Typically solid RG Zack Martin is on the other side of Beebe, but RT Terence Steele remains shaky at right tackle.

Dallas doesn't throw much to their backs, but Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle are decent check-down options. They may be more involved if TE Jake Ferguson (knee) can't play this week.

Ferguson is coming off 71 receptions for 761 yards in 2023 and is a matchup problem for defenses over the middle. Blocking TE Luke Schoonmaker could see more targets if Ferguson is out, but he isn't nearly the receiving threat.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) gains extra yards after a catch against Washington / Brad Mills-Imagn Images

Prescott benefits from having one of the league's most productive receivers to target. Physical fifth-year veteran CeeDee Lamb led the NFL with 135 receptions last year, resulting in 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns, both career-highs. Lamb had at least 930 receiving yards in each of his first four seasons, with over 1,000 yards in his last three seasons.

Electric former Saint Brandin Cooks isn't what he once was but is still a capable big-play threat and solid complementary target. Underrated third-year WR Jalen Tolbert is a lanky target capable of making plays deep or along the seam. Don't overlook the big-play abilities of explosive kick and punt returner KaVontae Turner, who is expected to be more involved in the Dallas attack.

If Marshon Lattimore plays, matchups against a physical wideout like Lamb is where he shines. If he doesn't, New Orleans coverage is still in capable hands with Adebo and Taylor at corner and Mathieu at safety.

We saw Dennis Allen be extremely aggressive with his blitz packages last week. Don't be surprised to see the same against Prescott, who can get wildly inaccurate under pressure. If the Saints can pressure Prescott with linemen Young, Granderson, Jordan, and Bresee it won't force them to blitz and therefore be able to keep Prescott and his blocking more off balance.

Stuffing the Dallas running game early obviously has it's importance. However, the matchup likely to determine the outcome on this side of the ball is whether an outstanding New Orleans pass defense can pressure Prescott into mistakes and suffocate the talented Cowboys receivers.