New Orleans, Louisiana - The Dallas Cowboys got back into the win column to open up Week 13 of the 2021 NFL season by dominating the New Orleans Saints on their own turf Thursday night.

The Cowboys beat the Saints 27-17, avoiding a three-game losing streak while sending New Orleans slipping further down on a five-game skid of their own.

Despite having a comfortable lead in their division, Dallas came into the game in need of a win to avoid the creeping dread of another year when a sure NFC East crown is fumbled and then dropped.

They definitely responded with some late-game defensive pressure to ensure the Saints had no chance at all to win.

The Cowboys took the lead early with a touchdown in the first quarter, followed by a score to start the second by the Saints that tied the game.

Dallas answered back with a pair of field goals to grab the lead before halftime, a lead the Cowboys would never lose.

The Saints would inch closer in the third but the Cowboys ran away with two-straight TDs including a pick-six that would ultimately seal the deal for Dallas.

The Cowboys defense ended up sharing the spotlight in this game, even though their offensive unit did produce a decent output.

In the fourth quarter, while the Saints did have a chance to potentially grab the lead, the Dallas defense forced three-straight interceptions, the last being the pick that was returned for a touchdown.

That pick-six was grabbed by defensive end Carlos Watkins (27), who ran his interception back 29 yards to close up the game for his team.

Watkins also contributed to Dallas’ defensive front with two solo tackles in the game.

On Thursday night, the Cowboys played like a team that’s looking to silence all of their doubters.

Even though they didn’t necessarily need their defense to step up in a big way to win the game, the fact that it did is yet another good reason why Dallas shouldn’t be overlooked as the playoffs are quickly approaching.

The Cowboys forced four turnovers against New Orleans, a huge turnaround from the five total they had in the previous 11 games prior to Thursday.

That kind of performance will give them more than enough momentum to run the table with only five games remaining on the schedule.

Next Sunday, the Cowboys (8-4) will be on the road to face Washington (5-6) while the Saints (5-7) hope to bounce back on the road against the Jets (3-8).