Top 10: D-Law or Dak For Player of the Game?
D-Law talked the talk and then walked it. Dak was nearly perfect and LVE was everyone. So gets the No. 1 spot as we picked the Top 10 players from Thursday's win.
10. Antwan Woods – We could've put the entire defensive line in there. But Woods gives the Cowboys so much size in the middle, but he's also rather athletic. He held up well against a really good Saints line and made it difficult for Brees to step up in the pocket.
9. Byron Jones – It wasn't perfect for Jones, who was flagged for pass interference on the Saints' only touchdown drive, but let's also remember that sentence. There was only one touchdown drive and Jones and his secondary mates were a huge reason why. His play on the goal-line with Kamara led to Jaylon Smith making the tackle.
8. Amari Cooper – While he did have a fumble in the second quarter, it didn't lead to any points for the Saints, thanks to a goal-line stand. Other than that, Cooper caught all eight of his targets, totaling 75 yards. Once again, his presence alone seems to be making the difference.
7. Jourdan Lewis – His interception to put the game away will go down as one of the bigger plays of the entire season. It's ironic considering he had a chance to make a similar play on the first possession of the game. But he sealed the win in the fourth quarter, picking off Brees' final throw. He also did a great job on defense, especially when he followed Alvin Kamara.
6. Ezekiel Elliott – Nothing came easy for the NFL's leading rusher, who was held to just 76 rushing yards on 23 carries (3.3 yard average). But Zeke did score the only Cowboys touchdown with a 16-yard reception. He totaled 136 yards from scrimmage and grinded out tough yards when the offense needed it the most.
5. Anthony Brown – For the second straight week, Brown recorded a sack, but this time it occurred at a crucial time in the game. Momentum was shifting drastically towards New Orleans but Brown's sack off the edge flipped the game around. Brown also got his hands on the ball for a pass deflection was part of a secondary that bottled up the Saints all night.
4. Dak Prescott – One might think that a 24 of 28 performance for 248 yards and out-playing Drew Brees would garner more praise. There are many still talking about his missed throw to Michael Gallup in the second half. Still, Dak played a clean game, considering he was harassed all night and sacked seven times. His 11-yard run in the fourth quarter was a huge play in the Cowboys' win.
3. Jaylon Smith – There were a lot of "swipes" going on Thursday night. When that happens, you know Jaylon Smith is flying around the ball and he certainly was. His biggest tackle occurred on third down by the goal line when he made sure Kamara didn't get to the end zone, resulting in an eventual turnover on downs. He had another sideline hit on third down to force a punt.
2. Leighton Vander Esch – The "Wolf Hunter" was on the prowl again Thursday night. The rookie, who was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month earlier in the day, finished off his November with another great performance. He was credited with 10 tackles and had some key third-down stops to get off the field. He was also part of the goal-line stand in the second quarter to keep the Saints off the board. D-Law is the leader but no one is playing better on this defense than LVE.
1. DeMarcus Lawrence – He might've won the game two days before kickoff when he gave a detailed description how to beat the Saints. But on the field, he was dominant again. He had another sack and forced fumble and made the key tackle on the goal-line stand. D-Law was the leader of a group that completely demoralized the Saints.
