New Orleans Saints: Madden simulation vs Cowboys in Week 13

The New Orleans Saints play their second straight Thursday night game this week, only this time it’s against the Dallas Cowboys, who are also playing their second consecutive game on Thursday night. Both of these teams are coming off a Thanksgiving loss (one more embarrassing than the others, but I digress) and will be looking to rebound.

This time last month, the Saints were 5-2 and looked poised to make a run at the NFC South title despite not having any talented wide receivers and too many injuries to count. The Cowboys looked to be one of the best teams in the NFL at that time as well.

Fast forward to the present day and NOLA is 5-6, dropping four straight games while the ‘Boys are 7-4, still leading their division, but nowhere near the powerhouse they were a month ago.

Both teams desperately need a win this week but for different reasons. The Cowboys will still likely win their division barring an epic collapse but a win would lift their spirits after some rough games in recent weeks. For NOLA, a win could salvage what looks to be a lost season at this point.

Madden Simulation: New Orleans Saints 14, Dallas Cowboys 24

Saints Stats

• Taysom Hill – 11-of-21, 190 yards, TD, 2 INT; 12 carries, 82 yards, TD
• Mark Ingram – 14 carries, 87 yards; 3 rec, 45 yards
• Tre’Quan Smith – 4 rec, 56 yards
• Nick Vannett – Rec, 8 yards, TD
• Demario Davis – 8 tackles
• David Onyemata – Sack
• Cameron Jordan – Sack
• Paulson Adebo – INT
• Malcolm Jenkins – INT

Cowboys Stats

• Dak Prescott – 28-of-42, 304 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
• Ezekiel Elliott – 11 carries, 56 yards, TD
• Michael Gallup – 12 rec, 108 yards
• Dalton Schultz – 6 rec, 56 yards, TD
• CeeDee Lamb – 3 rec, 28 yards, TD
• Micah Parsons – 12 tackles, 2 sacks
• Trevon Diggs – INT
• Leighton Vander Esch – INT

The Cowboys are the better team, so this score wouldn’t be the least bit surprising. NOLA doesn’t have the firepower to keep up with Dallas so if the Saints’ D can’t play a near-perfect game, they probably won’t come close to sniffing a victory this week.

The defense does put up a fight in this simulation with Onyemata and Jordan getting after Prescott throughout the game. Hill is able to do more offensively but it’s still not enough, as Madden predicts New Orleans will drop their fifth-straight game and be 5-7 on the year.

Hopefully, Madden is wrong, but I don’t blame them for picking the ‘Boys in the simulation. Why would people pick the Saints to win right now with how bad their offense has been?