A 53-yard field goal by Carlson with 1:55 left in the fourth quarter gave New Orleans a 27-24 final, denying Dallas a comeback that had erased a 15-point deficit. The Cowboys had trailed 24-9 entering the fourth and drew level on a 21-yard touchdown reception by Van Vooren from Howell — with Howell converting the two-point attempt — to tie it at 24 with 6:11 remaining. Dallas had also scored on a 26-yard Howell-to-Hudson touchdown pass at 14:53 of the fourth. New Orleans had built its lead on touchdowns from Brown (7-yard rush, first quarter), Rattler (8-yard rush, second quarter), and White (11-yard rush, third quarter).

As a preseason exhibition with no competitive stakes, the result carries no standings weight for either side. New Orleans showed enough resilience to close out the game after Dallas trimmed a sizeable deficit to nothing, while Howell finished 12-of-18 for 155 yards and two touchdowns for the Cowboys. Aubrey hit field goals of 49, 51, and 58 yards for Dallas; Carlson converted from 38 and 53 yards for the Saints.