New Orleans Saints vs. Dallas Cowboys: 5 Bold predictions for Week 13

3. Ezekiel Elliott tops 200 total yards from scrimmage

As underrated as the Cowboys defense has been this season, the Saints defense is in the same conversation as well. They have been one of the best run defenses in the league this season. What makes them appear average overall is the fact that they’ve been quite generous through the air. However, what should be noted in that regard is that the Saints have been playing with leads, meaning teams are throwing to catch up. Thus, those numbers might be skewed.

Regardless, the Saints have yet to allow a 100-yard rusher on the season and, for the most part, running backs simply haven’t been able to have a great deal of success against this New Orleans defense. While that may be so, I don’t think that’s going to be the case on Thursday Night Football in a matchup with Cowboys and Ezekiel Elliott.

The Cowboys make no bones about the fact that Elliott is the heart of their offense, and he’s going to get carries. The Saints know this too and will surely have a defense in place to stop Zeke in the run game. Having said that, the addition of Amari Cooper has opened up the offense and Elliott has been doing his best work of the season as of late.

Thus, I think that the Cowboys, with the way they are playing, are able to control the game on the ground, but also utilize Elliott’s explosiveness in space in the passing game. They are an offense, as currently constituted that can attack in more ways than they get credit for, but I think that goes through Elliott on Thursday and results in another monster game for the running back and former fourth-overall pick.