It's almost that time. The New Orleans Saints are closing out their preseason with a road game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium, in what's become a grudge match after a series of fights nearly derailed their joint practice session two weeks ago. While neither team is expected to play their starters for a great length of time, if at all, there's plenty on the line in this exhibition matchup. Unproven rookies and veteran pros both want to show they belong, and that they deserve a spot on the 53-man roster to be decided at Sunday's NFL deadline (5 p.m. CT)
We'll keep you up to date with highlights and news from throughout the game. Follow along here for live updates.
Saints starters won't play, but treating this game is a dress rehearsal
Saints starters aren’t playing tonight, but they are going through the full
gameday-style warmups. Here’s a look at Travis Etienne in his No. 3 game jersey/pads. pic.twitter.com/4Q7RZSTDQ5
— Jeff Nowak (@Jeff_Nowak) August 28, 2026
Tyler Shough, Travis Etienne Jr., and the rest of the Saints' starters watched previous preseason games in sweatpants, but that won't be the case on Friday night -- even if they still aren't playing. They were all dressed out in helmets and shoulder pads while warming up with their teammates in pregame drills. For all intents and purposes, this is their dress rehearsal before the regular season begins in just two weeks.
Spencer Rattler will be starting for the Saints at QB
It'll be Rattler, not Zach Wilson, starting in place of Tyler Shough on Friday night per NewOrleans.Football's Nick Underhill. That isn't surprising. Wilson kept the QB2 competition close until he got the nod in the second preseason game -- an outing that couldn't have gone much worse for him. After completing his first four passes, Wilson was intercepted on his fifth try and struggled to shake it off when he got back on the field. Rattler hasn't played well enough to draw serious trade interest from teams that need a starter of their own, but he's clearly a better option to back up Shough.
What time does Saints at Cowboys start?
- Date: Friday, Aug. 28
- Time: 7 p.m. CT
- Where: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
What TV channel is Saints at Cowboys on today?
- TV: FOX
- Streaming: Streaming options for the game include FuboTV (free trial), ESPN Unlimited, and NFL+.
WVUE (FOX 8 in New Orleans) will have the local broadcast, with Joel Meyers and John Stinchcomb in the booth. The following Gulf Coast Sports and Entertainment Network affiliate stations will be carrying it regionally, per506 Sports:
For fans in the Dallas, San Antonio, and Oklahoma regions, tune into KTVT (CBS/11) with Bill Jones and Isaiah Stanback. These affiliate stations will also have the game:
Saints preseason schedule 2026
- Aug. 15: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (Loss, 24-20)
- Aug. 22: at Los Angeles Rams (Loss, 34-0)
- Aug. 28: at Dallas Cowboys
Record: 0-2
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints vs Cowboys live updates: Start time, channel for preseason game
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