Zach Wilson drives the late score as the Saints hold off the Cowboys 27-24 in the preseason finale

Zach Wilson led a go-ahead drive that ended with Daniel Carlson converting a 53-yard field goal with 1:55 left, and the New Orleans Saints beat the Dallas Cowboys 27-24 in a preseason finale on Friday night. The result left Dallas with a 2-1 preseason record and no undefeated finish dating back 20 years, even after the Cowboys erased a 15-point deficit.

The Saints had their own unsettled undercurrent entering the weekend, with the quarterback picture described as unstable around the backup role. Against Dallas, New Orleans looked sharp early through Spencer Rattler, who scored on an 8-yard keeper and helped orchestrate three first-half scoring drives. The offensive production was enough for the Saints to build and maintain control for stretches, even as the game tightened late.

Dallas answered with a fourth-quarter push powered by Sam Howell. According to the game report, Howell threw two touchdown passes in the final quarter to help swing the contest. He also added a dramatic element when he connected on a tying 2-point conversion run, bringing the Cowboys level late and setting up a final Saints possession that would decide the outcome.

After the Cowboys evened the score, New Orleans needed to find a way to finish. Wilson’s late drive did not require a new scoring burst from scratch, but it did produce the decisive points, culminating in Carlson’s long field goal. Carlson’s kick gave the Saints an advantage that Dallas could not overturn after the kickoff and final sequences.

Preseason games often compress two weeks of evaluation into one stressful evening, and this one underlined that theme for both teams. The Cowboys’ late rally showed resilience and offensive capability against a defense that had been challenged earlier, while the Saints’ ability to respond after Dallas’ momentum shift reflected more than just a single unit clicking.

What to watch next is how each team uses the film from this late-game stretch to clarify the roles that matter most as the regular season approaches. New Orleans will likely emphasize how its third-phase execution held up after Howell’s touchdown drive and 2-point conversion tied the game. Dallas, meanwhile, will have to address the defensive and game-management lapses that allowed a 15-point swing before late production made the outcome a live finish.