The Arizona Cardinals will look to go back-to-back for the second time this season when they become the first team to face a Dallas Cowboys team with Andy Dalton as the starter. Dalton has a chance to prove himself as a starting quarterback again following the devastating injury to Dak Prescott. Read on for more about this intriguing matchup.
There’s nothing like facing a horrible team to get your moxie back. That’s the story for the Cardinals last week, as they prevented a three-game skid by destroying the New York Jets on the road in a 30-10 win. Murray passed for 380 yards and a touchdown with an interception on 27-of-37 completions, while also scoring one of the Cardinals’ three rushing scores. Murray and company had fun picking apart the Jets’ hapless defense, and that could be the case again for them this week. The Cowboys have the worst scoring defense in the NFL, as they are allowing 36.0 points per game. As one of the top rushing teams in the league, the Cardinals could take advantage of Dallas’ poor run defense that’s surrendering over 150 yards on the ground per game. Aside from having a dual-threat quarterback, the Cardinals also have a two-headed monster in the backfield with Kenyan Drake and the rising Chase Edmonds, who was a big thorn in the side of the Jets’ defense last week with his play on the ground and on air.
The Cardinals are 6-2-2 against the spread (ATS) in their last 10 road games.
The Cowboys just lost Dak Prescott for the rest of the season after the quarterback suffered a gruesome ankle injury in last week’s 37-34 win at home over the New York Giants. If it’s any consolation, at least the Cowboys have one of the best insurance under center with former long-time Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton. The veteran signal-caller took over the Giants game when Prescott left and finished with 111 passing yards on 9-of-11 completions. He also led the game-winning drive for the Cowboys, whose offense might have to start relying even more on Ezekiel Elliott. Zeke had 91 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries against the Giants. That said, the Cowboys can expect steady play from Dalton, whose experience will go a long way in providing stability for Dallas’ offense that is entering Week 6 as No. 1 in the league with 488.0 total yards per game and third with 32.6 points per contest.
The over is 5-0 in the Cowboys’ last five games at home.
