'Surprise,' Arizona: Dallas Cowboys Getting Smashed By Lowly Cardinals
The Dallas Cowboys traveled west to the desert in Week 3 to face an old division rival, the Cardinals. Dallas and Arizona used to meet twice a year from 1970 through 2001, back when the Cards were in the NFC East, and the Cowboys hold a 56-33-1 advantage all time.
But the Cardinals have surprisingly won six of the last seven matchups dating back to 2008. And guess what? Midway through the second quarter, Dallas trails 15-3 as the offense has been ineffective and the defense has been getting gashed.
James Conner has a rushing TD and receiver Rondale Moore has another and QB Josh Dobbs is 7 of 8 passing.
Going into the game ... This is a supposed too much different Cowboys team. Dallas has won its first two games by a combined 70-10, including a 40-0 shutout of the Giants and a 30-10 manhandling of the Jets.
Dallas has been so dominant in its first two games, that it now has the chance to make history in Week 3. If the Cowboys score 30 against the Cardinals, while holding Arizona to 10 or less, they will be the first team in NFL history to score 30 or more points while allowing 10 or less in their first three games.
“We’re 2-0 because of execution and how we prepared,” linebacker Micah Parsons said. “That’s why we’re 2-0. We’re not 2-0 because of anything else. It’s just remember what’s our process, where are we at in our process.”
The Dallas defense will be without one of its anchors for the remainder of the season, as corner Trevon Diggs tore the ACL in his left knee in practice on Thursday. That could be a blow to a defense that's notched 10 sacks and seven takeaways without one turnover by the Cowboys offense.
The Cardinals are winless, but they've played in two close games in a rebuilding year under new head coach Jonathan Gannon.
“The momentum here and there — I don’t really buy into all that,” Gannon said. "I buy into execution, coaching and playing well. That’s what we’ve got to do better at for four quarters because we’ve shown that we can do it for a period of time. We’ve just got to make sure we do it for 60 minutes.”
Arizona is without starting quarterback Kyler Murray, who is still recovering from his own torn ACL suffered last season, and safety Budda Baker, who was placed on injured reserve earlier this week.
WHAT: Dallas Cowboys (2-0) at Arizona Cardinals (0-2)
WHERE: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona (65,000)
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, 3:25 p.m. CT
TELEVISION: FOX / FuboTV (try it free)
RADIO: KRLD-FM 105.3 The Fan
TICKETS: SI Tickets
BETTING via SI SportsBook
SPREAD: Cowboys -11.5 (-118), Cardinals +11.5 (-110)
TOTAL: 43.5 (o -118, u -110)
MONEYLINE: Cowboys -800, Cardinals +540
