Cardinals find themselves in win at Dallas

If only for a week, the Arizona Cardinals that were so prominently on display for much of the season suddenly reappeared Sunday afternoon at Dallas.

So too did winning football in the form of a 25-22 road victory over the Cowboys.

“That was a playoff football game,” said quarterback Kyler Murray who moved to 8-0 as a starter at AT&T Stadium. “It was sloppy at times…it’s not going to be perfect. But we’re shooting for perfection.”

While Sunday’s performance was a far cry from many of the dominant showings we’ve seen the Cardinals earn on the road this season, the outcome was welcomed nonetheless. Gone was the lackadaisical starts so often seen during the team’s dismal three-game losing streak. Instead the Cardinals came out with more energy and efficiency despite having to deal with next to 80k screaming Cowboy fans. The team started fast in jumping out to a 10-0 lead which allowed Vance Joseph’s unit an opportunity to take some chances defensively.

“We played turnover free, got the ball back on defense and played good complimentary football,” said Murray.

“When you don’t turn the ball over, you have a chance.”

All the Kyler Murray dimes todaypic.twitter.com/01AmU1TyZg

— PHNX Cardinals (@PHNX_Cardinals) January 2, 2022

Murray routinely gave his fellow Cardinals a chance Sunday, putting together one of his finest performances of the season. The former Texas High School All-American torched the Cowboys through the air and on the ground for over 300 yards of total offense combined with two passing touchdowns. Much has been made about Murray’s past performances at AT&T stadium, which dates back to his legendary high school career in Arlington. Try as he might to downplay it, once Murray arrives at 1 AT&T Way, greatness shortly follows.

“I just feel like I can’t lose coming home,” said Murray. “That’s just the mentality, that’s just how I feel. I’m glad the guys had my back today.”

One player in particular that Murray routinely counted on was wide receiver Antoine Wesley, who scored a career high two touchdowns in replace of All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins. Wesley is slowly emerging as a legitimate weapon for an Arizona offense that desperately needs size in the red zone. The second year man out of Texas Tech has been quite the find for the Redbirds, forcing his way into the receiver rotation this season and potentially beyond.

Coach Kliff Kingsbury, who famously lobbied for Wesley, has always been a fan.

“I saw him in college and no one could cover him,” said Kingsbury. “Anytime he’s had an opportunity he’s made plays.”

Antoine Wesley looks like a shooting guard. Has hops like one, too. pic.twitter.com/GCwEHYKqFS

— Johnny Venerable (@JohnnyVenerable) January 3, 2022

Wesley, along with both Christian Kirk and A.J. Green, represent the core of the Arizona Cardinals’ wide receiving unit heading into playoff football.While tight end Zach Ertz has reemerged in recent weeks as a more consistent option, Rondale Moore’s availability remains dicey. Sunday at Dallas represented the first true instance in which Murray and the Cardinals began to evolve and adapt to life without DeAndre Hopkins. While no singular player can impact a game like Hopkins, a cohesive unit of those remaining is still a dangerous proposition to deal with if you’re an opposing defensive coordinator.

Wesley was a prime example of that Sunday.

“Just having my team come up and trust me,” said Wesley. “When that ball is in the air, they know for sure I’m gonna go get it for them.”

With the win, the Cardinals are still alive in the race for the NFC West title. A Week 18 home win against Seattle combined with an LA loss to the 49ers would earn the Cardinals their first division championship since 2015. Considering how this Cardinal team is only the 11th squad in league history to win eight road games in a season, kicking off the postseason on the road doesn’t seem like too tall of a task. As it stands now, should the NFC standings remain through next week, the Cardinals will be back in Dallas to take on the Cowboys come Wild Card weekend.

Something tells me Kyler Murray wouldn’t mind another trip down south to Big D.

Quick Hits

• After several lackluster performances, the Vance Joseph led defense of the Cardinals finally bounced back in a big way Sunday at Dallas. Even with the absence of numerous key players, including Markus Golden and Marco Wilson, Joseph’s unit still managed to corral the league’s number one scoring offense for much of four quarters. For all the talk about the Cardinals’ struggles against the run, Arizona managed to hold Dallas to just 45 rushing yards on just 17 carries. Additionally, the Cowboys were a pedestrian 3-for-11 on third down while barely eclipsing 300 yards of total offense (301).
• Speaking of defensive outputs, Joseph made good on his promise to implement rookie first-round pick Zaven Collins in at outside linebacker. Collins, who was filling in for both Golden and Devon Kennard, flashed on several instances while playing his most snaps in over six weeks. Joseph was complimentary of his young linebacker, strongly insinuating that Collin’s stay on the edge could be a permanent one.
• Isaiah Simmons remains a supremely talented yet flawed player. One minute you’re screaming in anger over a miss tackle and the next the former Butkus winner is forcing a key fumble on Dak Prescott. Hesitation is too often the problem for Simmons, who needs to play loose like he did at the University of Clemson. Once that happens, the sky remains the limit for this freak of an athlete.
• Through four quarters of football, it was clear the Cardinals had the coaching advantage over Mike McCarthy’s staff. Special Teams coach Jeff Rodgers was brilliant against Dallas, executing a fake punt to perfection that would extend an eventual touchdown scoring drive. Sean Kugler’s offensive line allowed a mere one sack against the vaunted Dallas pass rush despite the absence of standout left tackle D.J. Humphries.
• Chase Edmonds was noticeably banged up late in the fourth quarter after having his ribs bruised by Dallas’s Micah Parson’s. Even with the injury, the fourth-year running back stuck it out on the team’s final drive to help ensure the victory. The Cardinals remain hopeful that Pro Bowl runner James Conner can return against Seattle next Sunday.
• After his uncharacteristically shaky Christmas performance, Cardinal kicker Matt Prater was back to his old self against Dallas. It helped that Andy Lee, who returned off of the COVID-19 restricted list, was there to hold his kicks. The veteran combo accounted for a perfect 4-for-4 on field goals, including a bomb from 53-yards.
• Byron Murphy’s recent struggles will likely prompt the Cardinals to search for additional cornerback help heading into the offseason. The third-year player out of Washington appears to have hit a wall despite a strong September and October. He is too frequently beaten in the red zone, losing ground on numerous occasions Sunday to Dallas’s Cedrick Wilson.
• Don’t look now but safety Budda Baker has consecutive sacks in each of the last two weeks. The 25-year-old Washington native has firmly solidified himself as the best safety in pro football.
• Kliff Kingsbury now joins Bruce Arians as the only two Cardinal head coaches to earn 11+ wins in a season.
• Speaking of Kingsbury, he’s also a career 13-3-2 against the spread as a road underdog.