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The Saints have grown accustomed to their offense leading the way over the years, but that wasn’t the path to victory on Sunday night against the Cowboys.

Yards and points were tough to come by against the Dallas defense, which made the play of the Saints defense all the more important in a 12-10 win. They took the ball away three times while holding the Cowboys to 257 yards in a performance that made it easier for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to swallow his unit’s unimpressive showing.

“No one said it had to be pretty,” Bridgewater said, via NOLA.com. “We were able to come away with the win today. Defense, hats off to those guys; the kicking game, they were able to change the field position, and how about Wil Lutz making four field goals? . . . We know we’ve got to be better on offense, but that’s why it’s a team sport. Offense carries the defense, defense carries the offense, and kicking game as well. Overall, great team win and we’re all excited.”

The Saints have gone 2-0 with Bridgewater in the starting lineup in place of Drew Brees and they’ll be back home to face the Buccaneers in a bid to make it three in a row next weekend. More of the same for the defense would make that outcome a lot more likely.