Dallas @ New Orleans preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 29, 2018 ) New Orleans 10, Dallas 13

The Dallas Cowboys entered the season with lofty aspirations and they have done nothing to diminish those expectations by taking advantage of a soft schedule to open with a 3-0 record for the first time since 2008. The Cowboys will be stepping up in class at one of the league's toughest venues when they visit the New Orleans Saints on Sunday night.

Dallas has eclipsed 30 points in each of its three victories, although it turned in a lethargic performance before pulling away in the second half for a 31-6 victory over woeful Miami last week. "Any time you're 3-0, obviously it's a great feeling, but forget the record," quarterback Dak Prescott said. "This team can be really good, and we have to focus on that and how we get there. It's about taking that next step." The Saints easily survived their first test without future Hall of Famer Drew Brees with an impressive 33-27 victory in Seattle behind backup Teddy Bridgewater. "They have a great team, a complete team," New Orleans tackle Terron Armstead said. "It's going to be a tough one. Should be a fun Sunday Night game, but we'll have our plan together and be ready for them."

TV: 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC. LINE: Cowboys -2.5. O/U: 47

ABOUT THE COWBOYS (3-0): Prescott is second to Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes with a passer rating of 128.0 after throwing for a pair of scores and rushing for another versus Miami to overcome his second interception of the season. "They're playing awfully well right now," Saints coach Sean Payton said. "... You can't help but notice the quarterback and the success he's having. That's nothing new for him. He's been successful." Ezekiel Elliott has registered back-to-back 100-yard games while Amari Cooper, a limited participant in Thursday's practice, has four touchdown catches through three games. Dallas' pass rush finally showed a pulse with three sacks against the Dolphins.

ABOUT THE SAINTS (2-1): With Brees sidelined following thumb surgery, New Orleans put the ball in the hands of its best offensive player and Alvin Kamara responded by rushing for 69 yards and a touchdown and catching nine passes for 92 yards a score. "He's like a human joystick," said Bridgewater, who put up modest numbers with 177 yards passing but threw for a pair of touchdowns and did not commit a turnover. "You give him the ball, he's spinning, he's juking, he's bouncing off of guys." Michael Thomas has 25 receptions and scored his first touchdown last week while the defense yielded at least 27 points for the third straight week -- although 20 came in the fourth quarter.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Kamara was held to 36 yards rushing on 11 carries in a 13-10 loss at Dallas last year.

2. Cooper has 10 touchdown receptions in 12 games with the Cowboys.

3. The teams have split the past four meetings, with the home team prevailing in each.

PREDICTION: Cowboys 27, Saints 26