It is Day 88 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff. We are looking back at the 100 most iconic games in Dallas Cowboys history. The countdown will leads us right up to the opening game of 2026. Our look back doesn’t depend on just one criteria for our rankings. We take into consideration things like how big the game was for the organization, how memorable the game was, games that had unusual events take place, games that are a part of NFL lore, Cowboys firsts, and games where the Cowboys just plain
dominated. Variety is the spice of life and we have all different kind of Cowboys games to review. At the bottom, we’ll link each day of the countdown so you can go back and check out any you missed.
We welcome you to Day 88 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff, where we revisit one of the best regular-season wins of the Tony Romo era. The Cowboys went into the Louisiana Superdome as an 8-5 team under pressure, facing a 13-0 Saints team that looked unstoppable. Dallas had lost two straight games, the December narrative was closing in again, and New Orleans was chasing a perfect season. Instead, the Cowboys walked into one of the loudest buildings in football and handed the eventual Super Bowl champions their first loss of the year.
Saturday, December 19, 2009 — 8:20 p.m. ET
Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 24, New Orleans Saints 17
Dallas made its statement immediately. Romo hit Miles Austin for a 49-yard touchdown less than four minutes into the game, and Marion Barber followed with a three-yard touchdown run to give the Cowboys a 14-0 first-quarter lead. The Saints managed only a Garrett Hartley field goal in the second quarter, while Nick Folk added a 44-yarder just before halftime to put Dallas ahead 17-3.
The Cowboys kept leaning on New Orleans in the third quarter. Barber finished a long drive with a two-yard touchdown run, stretching the lead to 24-3 and putting the Saints in unfamiliar territory. Sean Payton’s team was explosive enough to rally, and it finally started to do that in the fourth quarter. Mike Bell scored from one yard out, then Drew Brees found Lance Moore for a seven-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 24-17 with eight minutes remaining.
That set up the play everyone remembers. New Orleans got the ball back with a chance to tie or take the lead, but DeMarcus Ware, playing just six days after being carted off with a scary neck injury, delivered the finishing blow. Ware sacked and stripped Brees, Jay Ratliff recovered with six seconds left, and Dallas escaped with a 24-17 upset that ended the Saints’ perfect season.
Romo was excellent, completing 22 of 34 passes for 312 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. Austin caught seven passes for 139 yards and the opening score, while Barber added two rushing touchdowns. Dallas also controlled the game physically, winning time of possession 36:26 to 23:34, and converting eight of 15 third downs while holding the Saints to one from seven.
This game belongs on the countdown because it was a true measuring-stick win. The Cowboys did not just beat a good team, they beat an unbeaten one, on the road, in prime time, with their season under pressure. It helped Dallas launch a late-season run that ended with an NFC East title and the franchise’s first playoff win since 1996. For one December night in New Orleans, the Cowboys looked tough, balanced, fearless, and fully capable of beating anyone. And the fans at the time felt it.
Interesting Facts About the Game
The Cowboys had not beaten the Saints in 15 years before this game, making the upset even more satisfying. Their previous win over New Orleans came in December, 1994.
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