Dallas ‘D’ struggling
Arizona Republic sports writer Bob McManaman breaks down Monday night’s game between the Cardinals and Cowboys:
CARDINALS PASS OFFENSE VS. COWBOYS PASS DEFENSE
Dallas is allowing a league-high 36.0 points per game and its defense has allowed 12 passing touchdowns, second-most in the league. As Kyler Murray makes his return to the stadium in which he is 7-0, including 6-0 as a starter dating back to his high school days, this figures to be an area of weakness he can exploit if he gets things going with his armada of passcatching threats. Expect the Cowboys to use some type of bracket coverage on DeAndre Hopkins, who leads the NFL with 45 receptions and 528 receiving yards. Hopkins will still get his targets, but someone else like Christian Kirk, Larry Fitzgerald or Andy Isabella might have to step up and have a big game to swing the tide. Dallas has only one interception so far this season.
Edge: Cardinals
CARDINALS RUN OFFENSE VS. COWBOYS RUN DEFENSE
As susceptible as the Cowboys’ secondary has been through five games, it’s their run defense that has been ravaged the most by opponents. Dallas ranks 28th against the rush, allowing an average of 155.8 yards per game. That should play right into the Cardinals’ hands, as they have desperately trying to get their running game uncorked. In last week’s win over the Jets they showed more signs that it’s coming along. Kenyan Drake has had 20 carries only once this season. Chase Edmonds hasn’t had more than four carries in a game since the season opener when he had six. Look for both of them to get more involved in this game, but don’t forget about the dynamic Murray brings to the run game. In his Texas homecoming, he’s sure to want to put on a bit of a show with his legs, too.
Edge: Cardinals
COWBOYS PASS OFFENSE VS. CARDINALS PASS DEFENSE
Dallas has the top-ranked passing game in the league, averaging 381.4 yards per game with 10 touchdowns against 4 interceptions. But virtually all of those numbers came with Dak Prescott running the offense. Now that he’s sidelined for the year following a devastating ankle injury, the Cowboys must rely on Andy Dalton, the former Bengals’ longtime starter, to try to salvage the season. Dalton nearly rallied Cincinnati to a come-from-behind victory over the Cardinals a year ago, so Arizona knowns not to take him lightly. And he’s got far better weapons in Dallas with wideouts Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup. Arizona can’t cover all of them, all of the time. The Cardinals rank fourth against the pass, allowing 222.4 yards per game, but they can be prone to giving up chunk plays and that’s where the Cowboys have thrived in 2020. The Cards must continue excelling on third down, where they rank fourth (35.6%) in stopping opponents from converting.
Edge: Cowboys
COWBOYS RUN OFFENSE VS. CARDINALS RUN DEFENSE
Ezekiel Elliott ranks seventh in rushing yards (364) and is tied for second in rushing touchdowns (5). The Cardinals are 19th against the run, allowing 124.2 yards per game, so this could be where Dallas tries to establish its strength and lean on the running game to keep Murray and the Cardinals’ offense off the field and control the clock. Elliott has a knack for getting loose in the open field and when he does, safety Budda Baker will have to be chief among the defenders to be there and limit the damage. If defensive coordinator Vance Joseph puts all of his emphasis on trying to contain Elliott, Arizona could get exploited by the pass games, especially since losing edge rusher Chandler Jones to a season-ending biceps injury. All bets are off here.
Edge: Cowboys
SPECIAL TEAMS
Cowboys kicker Greg Zuerlein has attempted 56 field goals from 50 or more yards since he entered the league in 2012, the most in the NFL over that span. He’s made 33 of them for a 58.9 percent success rate. The numbers are similar between the two punters, Arizona’s Andy Lee and Dallas’ Chris Jones. Chase Edmonds is coming along as a kickoff return for the Cardinals, averaging 23.3 yards per return. Keep an eye on CeeDee Lamb, who also returns punts for Dallas.
Edge: Even
OVERALL
It seems most observers are expecting a shootout, something you might find between two powerhouse offenses in a Big 12 game. That could materialize, but not if the Cowboys are able to run the ball and control time of possession. Turnovers could also flip this game to one side. What wins this game in the end for the Cardinals is their success rate in the red zone. They’ve scored on all 16 trips inside their opponent’s 20-yard line this season, including 13 touchdowns.
Prediction: Cardinals 33, Cowboys 26