Oct 4, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints running back C.J. Spiller (28) breaks the tackle of Dallas Cowboys strong safety Barry Church (42) to score the game-winning 80-yard touchdown in overtime at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints won 26-20. Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
NEW ORLEANS — Running back C.J. Spiller used his speed on a wheel route to catch an 80-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Drew Brees and lift the New Orleans Saints to a 26-20 overtime victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night at the Mercedes Benz Superdome.
The Saints (1-3) blew a point-blank chance to win the game in regulation. Kicker Zach Hocker clanged a 30-yard field-goal attempt off the left upright with 12 seconds left, setting up overtime.
The Saints won the overtime toss, and it didn’t start well, with running back Khiry Robinson dropping a first-down pass from Brees (33 of 41 for 359 yards and two touchdowns).
On second down, Spiller blazed out of the backfield down the right sideline and took a perfect strike from Brees, scoring the touchdown just 13 seconds in to overtime. Because the Saints scored a touchdown on their first possession, the Cowboys (2-2) did not have a chance for an overtime possession.
Brees finished 33-for-41 for 359 yards with two touchdown passes and no interceptions. Spiller caught five passes for 99 yards.
Hocker’s miss at the end of regulation blunted a furious 68-yard drive by the Saints inside the final two minutes. Brees completed a 30-yard pass to wide receiver Brandon Coleman to the Dallas 17 with 20 seconds left, but regulation ended 20-20.
Cowboys quarterback Brandon Weeden (16-for-26, 246 yards, one TD, no interceptions) led Dallas to the tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter, guiding the Cowboys 91 yards on eight plays. On the drive, Weeden completed passes of 24 yards to wide receiver Terrance Williams, 28 yards to tight end Jason Witten and 19 yards to wide receiver Brice Butler before hitting Williams for a diving 17-yard score with 1:51 left.
Robinson put the Saints up 20-13 with a 1-yard run midway through the fourth quarter.
The victory snapped the Saints’ six-game home losing streak and extended Weeden’s streak of consecutive losing starts to 10.
The Saints took advantage of Dallas having 12 men on the field in a punting situation, picking up 5 yards to allow Hocker to kick a 51-yard field to tie the game 10-10 early in the third quarter.
The teams then exchanged field goals. Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey made a 38-yarder, and Hocker added a 29-yarder late in the third quarter to tie the game 13-13.
Brees’ bruised throwing shoulder did not look good on the Saints’ first series. His third-and-6 pass for wide receiver Marcus Colston on the left sideline fluttered and should have been intercepted by cornerback Tyler Patmon.
However, after Bailey gave Dallas a 3-0 lead on a 30-yard field goal, Brees seemed to warm up, driving the Saints 80 yards in 11 plays for a 7-3 lead.
Brees converted two third downs on the drive, including a 7-yard slant to tight end Benjamin Watson for a first down at the Dallas 3. On the next play, Brees faked a shotgun handoff to running back Mark Ingram and hit wide-open tight end Josh Hill for the score.
The Cowboys continued to pound the Saints defense on the ground and with Weeden’s safe short-passing game. They gained 69 yards rushing in the first quarter and also capitalized on several defensive mistakes by the Saints in their second TD drive.
The 80-yard, 10-play march was aided by four Saints’ defensive penalties — holding, hands to the face, facemask and pass interference. On first-and-goal from the 1, running back Joseph Randle leaped and tried to extend the ball over the goal-line with his right hand.
Linebacker Stephone Anthony stripped the ball, and the Saints appeared to recover at their own 3-yard line. However, an official review overturned the ruling, saying Randle broke the plane for the touchdown before the fumble, putting Dallas up 10-7.
NOTES: Dallas RB Lance Dunbar was carted off the field early in the third quarter due to a knee injury. … Cowboys LB Sean Lee went to the locker room in the second quarter to check out a hit to his head. … Saints LT Terron Armstead was sidelined with an apparent left leg injury. He was replaced by No. 1 draft pick Andrus Peat, who previously had played only as a reserve on the right side. … Saints QB Drew Brees reached the 5,000 career completion mark.
