Welcome to Bizzaro NFL, Year 1. Brett Favre is saddling up for another playoff ride…and it’s not with the Packers. A Titans team that started 0-6 has a shot at making the playoffs. (OK, maybe not, but their mathematical goose isn’t cooked yet.) The Browns outplayed the Steelers in every facet of a game last Thursday. And the Cowboys opponent for Saturday, the New Orleans Saints, yes, the SAINTS, are the consensus NFC favorite for the Super Bowl. They possess one of the most prolific offenses in NFL history (yes, I said NFL history), as Brees has discovered and utilized nearly every weapon available to him and the Saints’ defense is markedly improved over last year’s, leaving the Cowboys with their hands full for Saturday’s nightcap.

The Cowboys are going to have to execute on three fronts if they want to beat the Saints on Saturday and keep their sinking playoff hopes afloat:

1) The secondary is going to have to have to have a collective out of body experience in facing Drew Brees. In facing Brees’ successor in Dallas on Sunday, the secondary struggled. Philip Rivers took what he wanted from the Cowboy’s defensive backs, dinking and dunking down the field, throwing underneath, and hitting receivers deep in stride. Brees has proved this season that he is one of the league’s elite quarterbacks, perhaps not quite yet in the same breath as Manning (I didn’t even have to use a first name, you automatically thought Peyton, didn’t you?), but let’s be honest, who really is?

2) The Cowboys must capitalize on their opportunities. The Cowboys are third in the NFL in total yardage, but 13th in total points. The blame can no longer be placed on Tony Romo, who has evolved into a solid starter and has been especially effective when he escapes the pocket.  Romo threw for nearly 400 yards against the Giants two weeks ago, 249 last Sunday and has slung the rock for 22 TDs and only 7 INTs this season. The ‘Boys have no problem moving the ball, but must begin scoring if they want to make the playoffs. Faced with 1st and goal from the 3 last Sunday, the ‘Boys weren’t able to punch it in, using all four downs to run the ball straight up the middle. You can’t squander chances like that in the NFL and expect to win games.

3) The Cowboys need to play with some heart, some cohesiveness…something. In watching their games, I don’t feel like they’re fighting for each other, and apart from the occasional individual effort, I’m not seeing a lot of emotion, something the Saints definitely have. In a close game against the Redskins a few weeks ago, Robert Meachem ripped the ball from a defender who had just caused a turnover, and took it to the house. That’s the kind of heart and effort Cowboys fans need to see from the ‘Boys on Saturday. Demarcus Ware went down in what was a scary moment last Sunday, and is listed as probable for Saturday’s game. Perhaps Dallas can rally around that dodged bullet and fight the Saints tooth and nail on Saturday.

The white light at the end of the tunnel for Cowboys fans is this: the Saints have kept things uncomfortably close with lesser opponents this year, almost suffering a loss to the beleaguered Redskins. Three of their last five wins have been by 5 points or less. But make no mistake, the Saints are an elite team, and they’re an elite team because they have finished those games when they needed to. But in a season that has witnessed a shootout between the Lions and the Browns, anything is possible in the Dome on Saturday.

Game Information

Predictions

Kurt Fraschetti-ProFootballinsight- I see this game being a high scoring game that the Saints win, but do not cover.  The Saints have not been blowing anyone away as of late.  I like the Cowboys +7.

Jerod Morris-MidwestSportsFans.com-  I was thinking about this game while driving into the office today. I know that everyone is writing the Cowboys off because of their history in December and current two-game skid, and obviously the Saints’ weekly dominance this year has been rivaled only by Indy’s, but I just have a gut feeling that Dallas will keep this close. I’d be shocked if they pulled out a W, but once again we are faced with a talented team backed into a corner with their season hanging in the balance. The home field advantage should be enough to ensure a Saints victory, but I think Dallas will have enough pride to make it a good game. Cowboys-Saints free pick: Cowboys +7

Nick Sellers / ProFootballinsight Cowboys Contributor

Become a fan of ProFootballinsight on Facebook or follow fraschettik on Twitter for instant article notifications and more.

**Photo Credit-Photobucket.com