The Cowboys should have the edge when they line up with the Cardinals in Week 8, and the game has the feel of one where Dallas can lean on its ground game before letting Dak Prescott clean things up through the air. Arizona, meanwhile, is rolling into the matchup at 2-5 and stuck at the bottom of the NFC West, while Dallas sits at 3-4 but remains in position to win the NFC East.
Prescott didn’t need to carry the whole load against the Eagles, because Dallas ran the ball freely. Even so, he still found the end zone three times through the air, and this one sets up for more of the same: plenty of rushing attempts, then Prescott finishing drives with touchdown passes.
That’s why the idea that Prescott needs a confidence check is getting brushed aside. Stephen A.
Smith raised the issue on First Take via Sports Illustrated, saying, “This is my interpretation,” Smith said. “I believe there's a lack of confidence, supreme confidence in Dak Prescott.
You believe in him, you're paying him, but in the same breath, you're understanding the importance of having that balanced running attack. Because when you just have him dropping back the pass that football, you're not satisfied with the level of production that you're getting.”
But the expectation here is that Prescott again looks like “that dude.” The Cardinals’ defense has been described as vulnerable, and if Dallas wants to get really creative with its scoring, Prescott should have the chance to spread the touchdowns around.
One name to watch is George Pickens. CeeDee Lamb already has six touchdown receptions in 2026, and Pickens has two, so the setup points to Prescott trying to get his other top receiver involved and close that gap. Pickens also has 16 fewer catches than Lamb on the season, which makes a double-digit reception day at least plausible in this matchup.
Pickens is dealing with a shoulder issue and a hamstring designation, but the expectation is that it won’t be a major problem. Aditya Fuldeore of NBC Sports wrote, “Pickens played through a minor shoulder injury last week, but the hamstring designation is new,” and added, “He was still a limited practice participant, indicating neither injury should be an issue for his Week 8 status.”
Lamb and Pickens both sound as confident as ever. Lamb put it bluntly, saying, “I think that’s pretty self-explanatory, to be honest,” Lamb said. “Once we get going, I don’t think there's … nah, I know for a fact, there’s not a person in this league that can stop us.”
Pickens, for his part, talked about waiting his turn and letting the offense build around whoever has the hot hand. “It’s just super important just because that can boost the morale of the team when you just wait your turn,” Pickens said. “Whether you’re a running back, tight end, you make your play that boosts the offense.”
On the Arizona side, Jacboy Brissett remains the starter for now, even though the questions around his job security are starting to bubble up. The Cardinals’ offensive struggles aren’t being pinned on him alone, though. Head coach Mike LaFleur said the problems are shared, and he pointed to the team moving the ball without finishing drives.
“Like I told you guys, he’s still the starter,” LaFleur said, via transcript from the team. “It’s collective.
Again, if the ball was just stagnant for 60 minutes and you couldn’t even cross the 50-yard line, it’d be one thing. We’ve been down inside the 10-yard line 10 times over the last two games, so the ball is moving, but we have to finish jobs.
Again, that starts with me, but that’s a collective effort.
“The players have to go execute. And I have to put them in better positions and give them the clarity to go do so.
When they do have that clarity, they have to make the plays. We know that.
We’re not going to shy away from that. We know we have to finish the job when we’re down there, and I don’t even think we’re having these conversations right now [if we had].”
Brissett’s season has been uneven, but this is the kind of game where volume can still add up to production, even if the final result is not close. And with the Cowboys’ offense likely to keep applying pressure, this one points to Prescott getting his numbers while Dallas controls the tempo.
In Other News...
Carson Beck Timeline Just Became A Real Cardinals Debate
Through the first seven weeks of the 2026 season, the rookie quarterback class has been a study in patience, with none of the 10 drafted passers making a start yet except undrafted Jalon Daniels in Tampa Bay. That slow rollout has only sharpened the conversation around Arizona, where Carson Beck remains in line as one of the young quarterbacks who could finally get a real look once the second half of the schedule opens up.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, are still searching for a more stable answer under center, and that keeps Becks timeline squarely in the mix as the season wears on. With veteran Jacoby Brissett holding the job for now, Arizona has a decision to make about when it wants to move from evaluation to action, and the timing of Becks first start is becoming one of the more interesting debates around the team. [Read more 🡒]
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Interest around the edge rusher has been building, with Dallas, Chicago and San Francisco among the teams linked to him. Sweat has been pushing for a new contract with guaranteed money, while Arizona is balancing that against its current place in the standings and how it wants to handle his injury management. For a team that has not shied away from making tough deadline calls before, this has the feel of one more decision that could reveal how aggressively it plans to reshape the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Wilson Suddenly Gives Cardinals A New Week 8 Concern
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Mike LaFleur did not offer much clarity in his press conference, leaving Wilsons status open-ended for the moment. The Cardinals are expected to release their first injury report later Wednesday, which should at least provide a better picture of what is going on and whether this is a short-term issue or something the offense has to plan around going into Week 8. [Read more 🡒]