If the Saints win/lose vs Cowboys

Although the New Orleans Saints dominated the Carolina Panthers in Week 1, their real test comes this Sunday in the form of the Dallas Cowboys who will be looking to make a statement in their home opener. Both teams are coming into this game red hot and are looking to continue that streak. Which team will come out of week two with the victory? Let’s dive into the scenarios for New Orleans coming into the game.

If the Saints win:

Coming out of Week 2 with a win over a playoff caliber team like the Dallas Cowboys will put the Saints in the category that they’ve been trying to get back to since Drew Brees retired. Derek Carr will definitely be on watch as well as this will be one of the games that will determine whether or not he can truly lead this newly renovated Saints offense.

Offensive Coordinator Klint Kubiak will also be on notice as he will need to create a scheme to overcome the vaunted Dallas defense that has caused many bad Sundays for teams throughout the league. If the Saints have any playoff aspirations, this is a game they need to win as we all know that come January, Dallas will also be in that conversation. With Philadelphia on the horizon, the Saints winning this game will put the league on notice moving into Week 3.

If the Saints lose:

Losing this game wouldn’t be the worst thing for the Saints being that this is only Week 2 for the team. However, if the Saints have playoff aspirations, this game could very well come back to bite them in terms of seeding when January comes around, if they lose.

A loss in Dallas, depending on how bad the loss is, would also restart the conversation of whether or not the Saints can actually contend with halfway decent teams in the league. Bottom line: New Orleans needs to beat Dallas or at least keep up with them to silence the doubters.