Saints have owned rivalry versus Cowboys in past 20 years

While the Dallas Cowboys may not be a division rival of the Saints, they are a team New Orleanians love to hate.

Maybe it’s because of their fans’ arrogance, or their self-proclaimed moniker as “America’s Team,” or their cocky and outspoken owner Jerry Jones. Outside of the NFC South, there aren’t many other teams Saints fans have a downright hatred for outside of the Cowboys.

But while it may be a matchup that both opposing fans love to talk trash about, it’s a rivalry that the Saints have dominated for the past twenty years. In fact, in the eight games the teams played against one another from 1998 to 2013, the Saints were victorious seven of those eight times. The Saints are 9-3 versus Dallas in their last twelve matchups.

However, since 2014, the Saints have lost two of the last three meetings with the Cowboys, including last November’s 13-10 loss in Dallas, which snapped New Orleans’ ten-game win streak on the season. It was a game Cowboys fans have not let Saints fans forget, and probably a reason they are confident about this matchup.

Perhaps the most gratifying win in the Sean Payton era, came in 2006, Payton’s first season as head coach when he went up against his former mentor Bill Parcells. Payton pulled all the tricks out of his bag in that game, including an onside kick, fourth down conversions, three touchdowns to fullback Mike Karney, and the Saints poured it on Dallas 42-17. That year, the Saints went on to a 10-win season and a run to the NFC title game.

In 2009, the Cowboys were the first team to hand the undefeated Saints a loss in Week 15, dropping New Orleans to 13-1, behind a dominant night from Demarcus Ware in which he had two sacks and a game-sealing strip of Brees. Of course, that loss didn’t sting as much as the Saints went on to make history and win the Super Bowl that season.

The toughest loss in recent years of the series came in 2014 as the Saints were off to a rough 1-2 start to the season following last second losses to the Falcons & Browns. And after beating Minnesota, the Saints were dominated by the Tony Romo-led Cowboys who crushed New Orleans, 38-17. The Saints went on to a 7-9 finish.

As you can see, very often in seasons when the Saints beat the Cowboys, it often leads to postseason success. If the Saints are able to get a win over this 3-0 Cowboys team, it would certainly be another feather in the cap for the Brees-less Saints who have played perhaps the toughest four-game stretch to open any season.

And while the win last week in Seattle was certainly gratifying for Saints fans, there’s no doubt they absolutely want this one. Expect venom to be spewed among both fan bases leading up to kickoff, and know that when you hear Saints fans refer to them as the “Cowgirls,” the hatred still runs deep.