Dallas is back home with a little juice after a 38-21 win over Philadelphia, and Week 8 hands the Cowboys a Cardinals team that has spent most of the season looking uneven on both sides of the ball. Dallas is 3-4, Arizona is 2-5, and the big question hanging over Monday night is whether the Eagles game was the start of something real or just another flash.
The matchup starts with Arizona’s offense, where Jacoby Brissett remains the quarterback and Trey McBride is the clear centerpiece. McBride went for 111 receiving yards against Denver and leads the Cardinals with 59 catches for 472 yards. Expect Arizona to lean on him over the middle, especially when Dallas linebackers and safeties are asked to sort it out.
That puts pressure on the Cowboys to keep plays in front of them and make Arizona drive the field the hard way. There’s also a pass-rush opportunity here.
Brissett was pressured on more than half of his dropbacks against Denver, and Dallas created two sacks and an interception against Philadelphia. The Cowboys have only 10 sacks on the season, so this is another spot where Quinnen Williams and the front need to turn pressure into actual negative plays.
On the other side, Dallas should have every reason to keep feeding Javonte Williams. The Cowboys ran for 204 yards against the Eagles, and Williams did the heavy lifting with 155 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries.
That kind of balance changed everything for the offense. Dak Prescott threw only 27 passes, wasn’t sacked, and finished with three touchdown passes and no interceptions.
That’s the version of the Cowboys attack they’ve been chasing.
Arizona’s defense gives them a chance to stick with that formula. The Cardinals gave up 377 total yards and 30 points to Denver last week, including a 62-yard quarterback run and multiple explosive plays.
They entered that game at the bottom of the NFL in points allowed, so Dallas should be able to make them deal with Williams first before opening things up for CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. Lamb scored twice against Philadelphia, Pickens added another touchdown, and Prescott suddenly has several ways to attack once the Cardinals start crowding the run.
The BTB writers are split on the exact score, but the general theme is the same: Dallas should be in position to win if it plays to the level it showed last week.
Tom Ryle sees another strong Cowboys performance and says, “I don’t know if this is more a prediction or a hope, but I’ll say DAL 34 ARI 19.”
Brandon Loree points to Dallas’ scoring thresholds and the Cardinals’ recent success in the matchup, then lands on a tighter finish: 24-21 Cowboys.
Dyllan Rivers expects Arizona to make things uncomfortable but thinks Dallas does enough on both sides to pull away, taking the Cowboys 34-24.
Matt Holleran calls it a sloppy game but still trusts Dallas when it matters most, picking the Cowboys 26-24.
Mike Poland likes the home-field edge and Arizona’s issues finishing drives, and he has Dallas winning 28-17.
In Other News...
Joey Porter Jr. Is Giving Cowboys Fans A Reason To Gloat
The Cowboys added Joey Porter Jr. in a deal that already looks like one of the more interesting moves of the season, sending a 2028 second-round pick to Pittsburgh for the cornerback. Through three games in Dallas, Porter has fit right into a defense that values length, discipline and coverage ability, and his early play has given the secondary a steadier feel.
Porter has also backed up the hype with production, allowing the lowest completion percentage among corners with at least 75 coverage snaps in 2026. Meanwhile, the Steelers are said to be feeling the sting of the move and are shopping for cornerback help at the trade deadline, which only adds to the sense that Dallas may have landed the better end of this one. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Face A Familiar Cardinals Problem At The Worst Time
The Cardinals have turned into one of those opponents the Cowboys never seem to get a clean handle on, and this weeks matchup arrives with Dallas trying to build momentum and climb in the NFC East. CeeDee Lamb pointed to Arizonas consistent energy and competitiveness in these games, which has been part of the problem for a Cowboys team that has not found much comfort in this series, especially when the game is on their own turf.
Dallas is trying to start a winning streak at the right time, but the history here is hard to ignore. The Cowboys have had their issues with Arizona for years, and the longer that pattern hangs around, the more it adds pressure to a game that already carries weight in the division race. [Read more 🡒]
Jerry Jones Faces A Cowboys Trade Deadline Problem He Can't Ignore
Jerry Jones has made it clear the Cowboys are at least willing to listen as the trade deadline approaches, but the front office is running into a familiar NFL obstacle: not enough draft capital to make a meaningful move without paying a steep price. Dallas has already spent heavily in previous transactions, and Jones has sounded skeptical about landing a real difference-maker if it means surrendering picks the club would rather keep in reserve.
That leaves the Cowboys in a tricky spot, because the most workable path may be the kind of deal teams almost never pull off in-season. A player-for-player swap would fit the roster math better than a pick-heavy trade, but it would also force Dallas to consider moving a key piece from its own lineup. George Pickens, currently on the franchise tag, is one of the names that naturally comes into that discussion, which is exactly why the deadline feels more complicated than a simple buyer-or-seller decision. [Read more 🡒]