Cardinals Visit AT&T Stadium Looking to Spoil Dallas's Bounce-Back Bid
Two teams on the wrong side of .500 meet at AT&T Stadium Sunday at 1:00 PM ET, and neither can afford another stumble. There's no validated model read for this one, so we're going straight to the tape — and the numbers tell an interesting story.
On paper, this looks like a Dallas advantage, and the Cowboys' offensive profile backs that up. Dak Prescott is expected to start and has been the more efficient signal-caller through seven weeks — 1,851 yards, 13 touchdowns, and just 5 interceptions on 178-of-273 passing. That's a clean, productive line. Javonte Williams has been a genuine weapon out of the backfield, racking up 472 yards and 8 touchdowns on 110 carries — that rushing touchdown total is the kind of number that wins games in the fourth quarter. And then there's CeeDee Lamb, who has 651 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns on 53 catches. When that trio is clicking, Dallas's offense is legitimately hard to stop.
Arizona's path to an upset runs through Trey McBride, who has quietly put together a strong season — 59 receptions, 472 yards, and 4 touchdowns. He's the kind of tight end who can stress a defense at every level, and if Jacoby Brissett — expected to start — can find him consistently, the Cardinals can stay in this game. Brissett has been serviceable: 1,600 yards and 10 touchdowns, though 6 interceptions are a concern against a defense playing at home. Jeremiyah Love has only 245 yards on 67 carries, which means Arizona's ground game hasn't exactly been a difference-maker. That's a problem when you're asking Brissett to carry the offense.
The honest read here is that our model doesn't have a validated projection for this matchup, so we're not going to manufacture confidence where there isn't any. What we can say is that the Cowboys' offensive weapons are more proven, their quarterback has been sharper, and they're at home. Arizona is a 2-5 team that needs to find answers fast. This is a winnable game for Dallas — but in a season full of surprises, the Cardinals showing up and making it ugly wouldn't be the strangest thing that's happened.