If the Arizona Cardinals ever wished to get their vaunted rushing defense tested by the best, then they are going to get it Sunday when they face the boulder-smashing rushing attack of the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington. Will the Cards keep their one-loss record intact? Or will the Cowboys crush their visitors?
Looking for other NFL Week 9 previews? Check out our preview of Ravens vs. Steelers here and Raiders vs. Seahawks here.
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Arizona Cardinals vs. Dallas Cowboys Betting Preview and Prediction
[sc:NFL240banner ]Notwithstanding their barren running game, the Cardinals were able to eke out a 24-20 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8, thanks to the collective efforts of Carson Palmer, Larry Fitzgerald, and John Brown. The Cards are 3-1 ATS in their last four games.
Palmer completed 20 of 39 passes for a season-high 329 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Fitzgerald and Brown meanwhile received 160 and 119 yards, respectively, plus a touchdown each. The fantastic job of the trio managed to cover for the team’s lethargic backfield, which produced just 71 yards, all coming from Andre Ellington.
While the Cards’ general performance on offense in that game was an encouraging sign ahead of their showdown with Dallas, their rushing defense’s subpar performance, on the other hand, should serve as a fair warning that their trip to Texas on Sunday may not be an enjoyable one. Despite the absence of running back Darren Sproles, the Eagles were still able to rush for 110 yards with LeSean McCoy racking up 83. Nevertheless, the Cards are still third best in the NFL with just 77.9 yards rushing yards allowed per game.
Tony Jefferson, the team’s leader with 50 total tackles, might be out with a concussion, but there won’t be a shortage of exceptional defenders for Arizona.
Cornerback Antonio Cromartie is coming off the best game of the season, picking off Nick Foles twice. He’ll undoubtedly have a busy afternoon in Dallas, trying to cover Dez Bryant. Cromartie leads the team with nine passes defended.
The sight of Brandon Weeden taking snaps was a worrisome one for Dallas fans, but the image of Tony Romo hurt and lying on his back was multiple times more breathtakingly frightening. Such was the life of Cowboys fans in Week 8, when their team saw its winning streak end at six games following a 20-17 overtime loss to NFC East rivals, Washington Redskins.
Romo suffered a back contusion after being sacked by Keenan Robinson in the third quarter, and was replaced by Weeden before returning near the end of regulation, allaying fears of another serious injury. Weeden, for his part, did a great job, completing 4 of 6 passes for 69 yards and a TD.
Up ahead for the Cowboys is a matchup with Arizona, a team that they may have problems rushing the ball against, but looks to be an easier type for Romo and his crop of receivers to abuse. Still, the Cowboys’ backfield, led by DeMarco Murray, will look to expose the Cards’ rushing defense just like what Philadelphia did last week. Murray had 141 rushing yards on 19 carries to mark his eighth-straight game of at least 100 yards on the ground. Powered by Murray (1,054 yards, 7 TDs), the Cowboys are no. 1 in the NFL with 160.5 rushing yards per game.
Dez Bryant (620 receiving yards, 5 TDs), Jason Witten (336, 2 TDs), and Terrance Williams (407, 6 TDs) could see an increase in workload Sunday opposite a Cardinals defense that has been awful against the pass. The Cards own a league-worst 302.9 passing yards allowed per game.
Dallas is 5-2 ATS in its last seven games overall.
