The Cardinals don’t need to become a powerhouse on the ground to stay in the mix against Dallas, but they do need a run game that shows up. That’s the opening Arizona has in Week 8: a Cowboys defense that has been leakier than most.
Dallas has already given up more than 120 rushing yards in five of seven games, and four times it has allowed at least 165. Through seven weeks, the Cowboys have surrendered the most rushing yards in the league and are giving up 4.7 yards per carry, which ranks 27th.
That is the kind of matchup that can help a struggling rushing offense find life. The catch for Arizona is that the Cardinals have not done much with the ball on the ground themselves. They sit 23rd in rushing yards and rank 30th at 3.7 yards per attempt.
That’s especially disappointing considering how much the team put into fixing it. Arizona signed left guard Isaac Seumalo, drafted guard Chase Bisontis in the second round, added running back Tyler Allgeier on a two-year deal in free agency, and took Jeremiyah Love third overall.
Seumalo has been solid. The rest has not gone according to plan. Bisontis is out for the season, Allgeier is averaging just 2.9 yards per rush, and Love has missed two games while averaging 3.7 yards per carry.
Love may be back in the starting lineup, but the line around him could be patched together. Rookie Jayden Williams is at left tackle after Paris Johnson was lost for the season.
Center Hjalte Froholdt hurt his knee this week and is likely to be questionable. Hayden Conner, the Cardinals’ No. 4 right guard, likely will start.
That is a tough setup for any offense, and especially for a ground game trying to take advantage of a vulnerable defense. How well Arizona runs it Sunday will go a long way toward determining whether the Cardinals can beat the Cowboys or come up short.
In Other News...
Cardinals Still Own One Rivalry That Cowboys Fans Hate
The Cardinals and Cowboys have spent decades crossing paths, and the recent run has given Arizona a little extra bragging room in a rivalry that has usually tilted Dallas way. Since 1960, the two teams have met 92 times in the regular season and once in the playoffs, with the Cowboys still holding the edge in the all-time series. But the more relevant backdrop for Cardinals fans is the recent stretch, where Arizona has taken eight of the last nine and arrived with the kind of edge that has made this matchup feel different lately.
Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb recently pointed to the Cardinals consistent energy in these games, a nod to how often Arizona has shown up ready for Dallas. For a rivalry that still carries plenty of history, the current trend is what stands out, especially with the Cardinals having built a habit of making life uncomfortable for one of the leagues most recognizable teams. The larger question now is whether that pattern is just a hot streak or something Dallas still has not figured out. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Game Could Decide What Jerry Jones Does Next
Jerry Jones has left the door open just enough to keep the Cowboys in the middle of the NFL rumor mill, but not enough to suggest a major move is imminent. The Dallas owner and general manager said it is unlikely he will swing a blockbuster trade before the deadline, even as his team has been tied to possible interest in names such as Maxx Crosby and wide receiver George Pickens. For now, the Cowboys are still sorting through their own issues, and Jones pointed to their recent trouble against Arizona as one of the reasons he wants to see that trend change.
The timing matters because Dallas has another shot at the Cardinals coming up, and Jones made clear that game could shape what comes next. He did not rule out staying active in the trade market once that matchup is in the books, which keeps the possibility of a deadline move alive without making it feel likely today. For a Cowboys team trying to find traction, the Cardinals game is suddenly about more than just the standings. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Line Depth Gets Tested Again Before Tough Cowboys Matchup
The Cardinals are heading into a tricky Week 8 matchup with Dallas already thin along both lines, after defensive lineman Walter Nolen III and offensive lineman Jon Gaines II were ruled out because of ankle injuries. Both players missed practice all week and will sit for a second straight game, leaving Arizona to patch together its front again against a Cowboys team that can test depth in a hurry.
There is at least one encouraging sign on the offensive side, with right tackle Elijah Wilkinson expected to play. Still, the line picture remains unsettled after Hjalte Froholdt was absent from Fridays practice, adding another layer of uncertainty to a unit that has already been forced to absorb multiple injuries at a difficult point in the schedule. [Read more 🡒]