WHAT TO LOOK FOR
KEYS TO THE GAME
THE CARDINALS WILL WIN IF ... They get a balanced attack on offense, significantly cut down on their rate of penalties, and find a way to keep Elliott under 100 rushing yards.
THE COWBOYS WILL WIN IF ... Elliott goes off for a huge rushing effort, the Dallas defense can force at least two turnovers, and they do something special on special teams.
MATCHUP TO WATCH
CARDINALS ILB JORDAN HICKS VS. COWBOYS RB EZEKIEL ELLIOTT
Hicks has led the team in tackles just twice this season through five games, but he might need a monster tackling game if he and the Cardinals hope to slow down Elliott. The Cowboys’ star has a knack for breaking off big-play runs; since entering the league in 2016 he leads all NFL running backs with 156 runs of 10 or more yards, averaging one on every 12.5 of his career carries.
SERIES HISTORY: Dallas and Arizona have squared off 89 times, including one playoff game. Dallas holds a 56-32-1 advantage. The two teams played twice each year as part of the NFC East from 19702001. Dallas lost the first-ever meeting in 1960 and dropped five more until claiming its first series win in 1963. The Cardinals have won four of the past five meetings, twice in overtime. Dallas won the last meeting, 28-17, in Arizona in 2017.
DID YOU KNOW? The Cardinals’ defense has not allowed any sort of scoring drive on the first possession of the second half through five games. The Cowboys have scored on two of five second-half possessions.