Saints and Cowboys Turn Preseason Finale Into Unexpected Shootout, Burn the Under

Well, that didn't go according to script. The Saints and Cowboys combined for 51 points in a preseason finale that was supposed to be a slopfest of third-stringers tripping over themselves. Instead, we got an actual football game, and DarkHorse's under 38.0 got torched like a cornerback on a go route.

Dallas pulled out the 27-24 win, but the real story is how both teams' backups suddenly remembered how to move the ball. The Saints, who'd managed a pathetic 10 total points across their first two exhibitions, nearly tripled that output in one night. Spencer Rattler and company found something resembling rhythm, which is either encouraging for New Orleans' depth or a sign that Dallas' third-string defense needs work.

The Cowboys weren't innocent bystanders either, contributing plenty to push this thing over the number. In a game where both coaching staffs were supposed to be bubble-wrapping everyone and running vanilla schemes, we got 51 combined points and actual competitiveness down the stretch.

Sometimes the book writes itself and the players ignore it completely. Preseason logic suggested a low-scoring slog. Reality delivered a back-and-forth affair that made our under look silly. Tip your cap and move on—regular season starts soon, where the reads actually matter.