Cowboys Ride 'Em
 

COWBOYS RIDE 'EM
Saints appear to have a long way to go after one-sided loss

Tuesday, August 22, 2006
By Jimmy Smith, Times Picayune



SHREVEPORT -- Monday night's nationally televised exhibition game proved two points.

Dallas quarterback Drew Bledsoe is in midseason form.

The Saints are not.


Bledsoe, in his first game of the preseason, led the Cowboys to 17 first-half points in a nearly flawless outing against a cast of Saints' starters and reserves, as Dallas coasted to a 30-7 victory in front of 45,162 at Independence Stadium.

The Cowboys had accumulated 206 yards and 15 first downs before the Saints got their initial first down.

"There wasn't much good that happened," Saints coach Sean Payton said. "I don't think we played very well with the first group on both sides of the ball. In the second half, the same way."

Several areas of emphasis heading into Monday night's second exhibition -- how the Saints would pass protect, how they would defend the run, how they would rush the passer, and how tailback Deuce McAllister would look in his first game back from reconstructive knee surgery -- all proved to be somewhat unsettling.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees, though not sacked, was pressured numerous times.

The Cowboys ran for 58 yards in the first half, including 11-yard runs by Julius Jones and Marion Barber. Dallas finished with 117 yards rushing.

"The first-team offense and defense struggled," Payton said, "across the board. We didn't help the defense out at all. Offensively, we've got to do a better job."

Story continues....
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