The Cardinals are coming out their bye week, the Cowboys are about to head into one. We'll see how those emotions factor into this Monday Night showdown between a Cardinals team that has lost five straight games and the Cowboys, who have been up-and-down all year, and looking to be right at .500 heading into the bye.
That will be one of the storylines for the week, as we detail five each for the Cardinals and Cowboys.
Cardinals
So Close 鈥 鈥 The Cardinals are coming off a much-needed bye week. Head coach Josh Gannon said his team needed both a "physical and mental" break after a suffering a five-game losing streak, which followed a 2-0 start. The Cardinals entered the bye week at 2-5 but all five losses have been by a combined 13 points. All seven of Arizona's games have been decided by seven points or less, including a pair of 1-point losses.
Kyler's return 鈥 The Cardinals are hoping quarterback Kyler Murray makes his return to the field this week. Murray suffered a foot injury and has missed the last two starts. If he comes back, it'll also be a return to AT&T Stadium, a venue the quarterback has never lost in, going back to his legendary high school days at Allen High School. Murray is 2-0 against the Cowboys in Arlington and helped Allen win three state championships, playing several games at AT&T Stadium.
Is there a QB Controversy? 鈥 While Murray is certainly the high-profile QB on the roster, with the accolades of being the Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick and most importantly having a hefty price tag. But it doesn't sound like Cardinals nation is 100 percent on board in keeping Murray as the starter over backup Jacoby Brissett, who has taken over the last two weeks and kept the Cardinals in these close games. Right now, no official decision has been made on Murray or Brissett as the starter.
Rollercoaster RB ride 鈥 While the Cardinals have had plenty of questions at quarterback this year, it's been a wild ride at running back, too. Just recently, Arizona made a surprise move over the bye week in releasing Michael Carter, who had a combined 34 carries over the last three weeks. Arizona already lost starting RB James Connor for the season earlier this year and Trey Benson was placed on IR as well. The Cardinals' options at running back are Emari Demercado, Bam Knight and veteran D'Ernest Johnson. The fact that Murray, who has missed two games this year, is Arizona's leading rusher with 173 yards, tells the story of the Cardinals' running game issues.
Ready for Breakout? - This game features some of the best receivers in the game. While the Cowboys have one of the NFL's top duos in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, the Cardinals have Marvin Harrison Jr., who has yet to have a monster game this year. Harrison, the son of Colts Hall of Fame WR Marvin Harrison, has yet to produce a 100-yard receiving game this year. But considering the Cowboys rank last in the NFL in pass defense and this could be another Texas shootout, look for this to be a game for receivers on both sides to make big plays.
Cowboys
Back & Forth We Go 鈥 The Cowboys are having the worst time stacking wins together as they again fall under .500 with a loss to Denver, a place they haven't won at since 1992. This 20-point loss was one of the worst as the defense continued to struggled but the offense had one of its worse games as well. The Cowboys look to get back to even with a 4-4-1 record heading into the bye.
Home Base 鈥 Maybe AT&T Stadium is exactly where the Cowboys need to be this week. Dallas is 2-0-1 at home but more importantly, averaging over 40 points a game. It's the first time since 1973 the Cowboys have scored at least 40 in the first three home games.
Help on the Way? - The Cowboys have been bit by the injury bug here lately, especially at the same position. Last week, four safeties were down and we've seen as many as three starting linemen out at once. Safety is still a mystery with Donovon Wilson and Juanyeh Thomas uncertain to return and Malik Hooker remains on IR. At the O-line, center Cooper Beebe as a shot to return this week from IR.
Diggs update 鈥 Not much is being said regarding cornerback Trevon Diggs, who was surprisingly put on injured reserve over the weekend. He had been out with a concussion and then a knee issue popped up on the injury report. Diggs is on IR but could return before the Thanksgiving Day game. The Cowboys have been noncommittal if Diggs will return this year. But if healthy, and especially considering they'll face Patrick Mahomes, Jared Goff and Justin Herbert in the final stretch of the season, having their best cover corners on the field should be a top priority, if healthy.
Rushing to 125? 鈥 When the Cowboys run the ball well, they win. Simple as that it seems. The Cowboys were stuffed by the Broncos, who limited them to just 108 yards. Two weeks ago in Carolina, the Panthers held Dallas to just 131 yards. But in the three wins for the Cowboys, they've run for 135, 180 and 152 yards. The most they've rushed for in a losing effort is 121. So it seems Javonte Williams and the offense needs to get to the 125-yard mark or more for another successful night.
