Ezekiel Elliott scored the only Dallas touchdown and the Cowboys stifled the Saints, ending New Orleans' 10-game NFL winning streak with a 13-10 victory at AT & T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The Cowboys (7-5) won their fourth consecutive game and assured they will at least remain tied for the NFC East lead.
Dak Prescott completed 24 of 28 throws, passing for 248 yards and a touchdown to help the Cowboys to a 13-0 halftime lead - the first scoreless first half for the Saints since 2014 and their first deficit in five games.
The Saints (10-2) were shut out in the opening half with a season low 176 yards in total offence.
Quarterback Drew Brees had his fewest yards passing in a half since joining the Saints in 2006 with 39, and couldn't get a potential winning drive going in the final minutes.
Brees was 18 of 28 for 127 yards, the second straight game and third overall under 200 yards for the MVP contender.
The Cowboys held the ball for more than 21 minutes in the first half, but settled for field goals twice. The only touchdown was a 16-yard screen pass to Elliott.
The only touchdown drive for the Saints was aided by three first downs on Dallas penalties. The biggest was Randy Gregory's roughing-the-punt penalty on Thomas Morstead.
The Cowboys host NFC rivals Philadelphia Eagles (5-6) next while New Orleans are at the NFC South's bottom side Tampa Bay (4-7).
