News: SAEN: Defense falls apart after injury sidelines Lee

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NEW ORLEANS – The Big Easy became the Big Hurt for the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night.

Taking advantage of a defense that fell apart after linchpin linebacker Sean Lee was knocked out of the game in the second quarter by a hamstring injury, Drew Brees passed for 392 yards and four touchdowns to lead the New Orleans Saints to a 49-17 romp over the bewildered, demoralized Cowboys.

The loss was the worst of the Jason Garrett era and it dropped Dallas (5-5) into a first-place tie in the NFC East with surging Philadelphia as it enters its bye week.

Without Lee, the defense could be in for yet another bruising in two weeks when it faces the New York Giants in the Meadowlands. The Giants are 3-6 after winning three straight.

“I’m very concerned,” owner Jerry Jones said of Lee’s injury.

The Saints recorded the most first downs in NFL history with 40. And for the second time in three weeks, the Cowboys set a franchise record for yards allowed. In losing 31-30 to Detroit on Oct. 27, Dallas gave up 623 yards. The Saints topped that mark by two yards.
While the Cowboys’ players and coaches sported forlorn looks in the final seconds, the Saints enjoyed a hug fest on their sideline.

In the middle of it all was Rob Ryan, who joined New Orleans after Dallas fired him as its defensive coordinator last January. One by one, the Saints defensive players embraced Ryan, who gained a measure of revenge not only for the firing but for learning of it while he was on vacation out of the country.

“Rob treated it like any other week, but as players, we wanted to get this one for Rob,” New Orleans linebacker Curtis Lofton said. “Everybody loves Rob and we are so glad we got him and we just wanted to go out there and get this win for him.”

Dallas arrived in New Orleans with two defensive starters, nickel cornerback Mo Claiborne and safety J.J. Wilcox, already ruled out with hamstring injuries. A third regular, tackle Jason Hatcher, was placed on the inactive list just before the start of the game with a neck injury.

Despite being shorthanded, the Cowboys were competitive in the early going and even led 10-7 after DeMarco Muray’s 7-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. But everything changed for the defense after Lee limped off the field.

Making matters worse, his replacement, Justin Durant, also left the game in the third quarter with a hamstring injury.

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