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Saints Edge Cowboys 27-24 in Late Surge

Zach Wilson directed the final drive as New Orleans overcame a third-quarter deficit to defeat Dallas 27-24 at AT&T Stadium.

Coralie Oakley

August 29, 20262 min read

late-game tension - illustration, Jake Team LLC
NFLFinal
New Orleans Saints27
Dallas Cowboys24

August 29, 2026

Late Surge Decides Contested Affair

Zach Wilson led the New Orleans Saints to a 27-24 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. The visiting Saints overcame a third-quarter deficit to secure the win, improving their record to 1-2, while the home Cowboys fell to 2-1.

The game featured a dramatic fourth quarter where Dallas tied the contest before New Orleans struck back with a field goal to seal the result.

Scoring Sequence

The Cowboys opened the scoring with a 49-yard field goal by Brandon Aubrey, but Daniel Carlson responded with a 38-yard kick to give New Orleans a 3-0 lead. Barion Brown then added a 7-yard rushing touchdown to extend the Saints' advantage to 10-3.

In the second quarter, Aubrey narrowed the gap with 51- and 58-yard field goals, while Spencer Rattler contributed an 8-yard rushing touchdown for Dallas. The half ended with New Orleans leading 17-9. Zamir White added an 11-yard rushing touchdown for the Saints in the third quarter, extending their lead to 24-9 before Dallas mounted a late rally.

Fourth-Quarter Drama

The Cowboys closed the gap in the fourth quarter. Sam Howell connected with Jordan Hudson on a 26-yard pass for a touchdown, bringing Dallas within seven points. Howell then threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Mitch Van Vooren, followed by a successful two-point conversion to tie the game at 24-24.

With the score level, Daniel Carlson kicked a 53-yard field goal to give the Saints a 27-24 lead with time remaining. The Cowboys failed to score in the final moments, allowing New Orleans to hold on for the win.

Key Performances

Sam Howell led the Cowboys with 155 passing yards on 12 of 18 attempts and two touchdowns. Jordan Hudson had a standout receiving game with four catches for 97 yards and a touchdown. Phil Mafah carried the ball 12 times for 46 yards.

For the Saints, Wilson completed nine of 12 passes for 93 yards. Audric Estime rushed for 46 yards on four carries, and Ronnie Bell caught six passes for 65 yards. The game drew an attendance of 81,295 fans.

Sources

https://www.espn.com/nfl/game/_/gameId/401874048

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Coralie Oakley

Coralie Oakley covers Denton high school and area college sports.

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