The Cowboys have a plan to pull of a major upset. This is how the Saints will answer

GREG COTE’S THURSDAY NFL PICK

SAINTS (10-1) at COWBOYS (6-5)

Line: NO by 7 1/2

Cote’s pick: NO 34-20

TV: 8:20 p.m., Fox/NFL

Can America’s Team upset America’s Best Team? The New Orleans Saints are on a different planet, playing a different game. The Fleur-de-lis are the new Super Bowl betting favorite, nosing ahead of the Rams, and Drew Brees, by my reckoning, also is now out front for his first career MVP award. The Cowboys are good at Jerry’s World (4-1 home record) and have a top-five defense, but what Brees has going is close to unstoppable. The Saints have averaged 44 points in four November games. Dallas’ best hope for an upset is for hot Ezekiel Elliott (three straight games with 120-plus rushing) to own the ground and the clock and keep Brees pinned to the sideline. The trouble with that plan? N’Awlins has the answer. It is called the league’s No. 1-ranked run defense. On a 10-game winning streak, the Saints have to lose again eventually. But I’m beginning to doubt if it’ll be this season.

This story was originally published November 28, 2018 at 1:49 PM.