NFL Game Preview: Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys - Week 9

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Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys - Week 9

Game Preview Fantasy \| Game Notes \| Results & Schedule \| Injury Report \| Stat Comparisons \| Weather \| Team vs. Team History

NO CAR	28 10
Pre	Post

ARI DAL	28 17
Pre	Post

TB CLE	17 22
Pre	Post

SD MIA	0 37
Pre	Post

PHI HOU	31 21
Pre	Post

NYJ KC	10 24
Pre	Post

JAC CIN	23 33
Pre	Post

WAS MIN	26 29
Pre	Post

STL SF	13 10
Pre	Post

OAK SEA	24 30
Pre	Post

DEN NE	21 43
Pre	Post

BAL PIT	23 43
Pre	Post

IND NYG	40 24
Pre	Post

Week:	1 \| 2 \| 3 \| 4 \| 5 \| 6 \| 7 \| 8 \| 9 \| 10 \| 11 \| 12 \| 13 \| 14 \| 15 \| 16 \| 17
Playoffs:	Wild-Card \| Divisional Playoffs \| Conference Championships \| Super Bowl

Prediction: Cowboys 24, Cardinals 21
by Mike Krueger | Follow @FF_Today

Player Rankings and Projections

Arizona Cardinals
Rank	Player	Projections
QB 14	Carson Palmer	Pass: 255, 2 TD Rush: 0, 0
RB 7	Andre Ellington	Rush: 75, 1 TD Rec: 5-35, 0
WR 11	Larry Fitzgerald	Rec: 5-75, 1 TD
WR 23	Michael Floyd	Rec: 4-60, 1 TD
WR 47	John Brown	Rec: 4-45, 0 TD
TE 29	John Carlson	Rec: 2-20, 0 TD
K 12	Chandler Catanzaro	FG: 0/0 XP: 3/3
DEF 11	Defense / ST

Dallas Cowboys
Rank	Player	Projections
QB 10	Tony Romo	Pass: 270, 2 TD Rush: 5, 0
RB 1	DeMarco Murray	Rush: 105, 1 TD Rec: 2-15, 0
RB 45	Joseph Randle	Rush: 20, 0 TD Rec: 0-0, 0
RB 51	Lance Dunbar	Rush: 5, 0 TD Rec: 1-10, 0
WR 3	Dez Bryant	Rec: 7-95, 1 TD
WR 35	Terrance Williams	Rec: 4-60, 0 TD
WR 66	Cole Beasley	Rec: 3-30, 0 TD
TE 9	Jason Witten	Rec: 5-50, 1 TD
K 9	Dan Bailey	FG: 1/1 XP: 3/3
DEF 14	Defense / ST

Game Notes

Cardinals 6-1 start is best since 1974 (7-0)... QB Carson Palmer has won 11 of past 13 starts (4-0 in 2014). Has 2 pass TDs in all 4 starts in 2014, 1st QB in team history with 2+ pass TDs in 1st 4 starts... RB Andre Ellington has 482 scrimmage yards (120.5 per game) & 3 TDs (2 rush, 1 rec.) in past 4... WR Larry Fitzgerald has catch in 156 games in row, longest active streak in NFL. Since entering NFL in 2004, leads NFL with 98 rec. TDs (incl. playoffs). Had 7 catches for 160 yards & TD (80 yards) last week. Rookie WR John Brown had 5 catches for 119 yards (1st 100-yard game) & TD (75 yards) last week. Offense has 6 75+ yard TDs since 2013, most in NFL... In past 2 meetings, defense has 10 sacks & 2 INT-TDs. Cardinals lead NFC with +9 turnover differential. DE Calais Campbell aims for 3rd in row vs. Dal. with sack. CB Antonio Cromartie had 2 INTs last week. Only player in NFL with 2+ INTs in each of past 8 seasons. Since 2011, CB Patrick Peterson is only player in NFL with 10+ INTs (12) & 3+ PR-TDs (4).

Cowboys In 3 starts vs. Az., QB Tony Romo has completed 72 of 109 (66.1 pct.) for 928 yards with 6 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 111 rating... Have No. 1 rush offense in NFL (160.5 yards per game). RB DeMarco Murray leads NFL with 1,054 rush yards & ties for NFL lead with 7 rush TDs. Is only player in NFL history with 100+ rush yards in 1st 8 games to start season. Last week, had 221 scrimmage yards (141 rush, 80 rec.), 1 of 3 career games with 200+ scrimmage yards... In last meeting, WR Dez Bryant had 8 catches for 86 yards & TD. Has 28 rec. TDs in past 32. Since 2011, has 39 rec. TDs, most by NFL WR. In 6 meetings, TE Jason Witten has 31 catches (5.2 per game). Had 25-yard TD last week. WR Terrance Williams has 5 TDs in past 6... CB Orlando Scandrick has 23 tackles & 5 PD in 6 games. S J.J. Wilcox had 1st INT last week. S Barry Church is 2nd on team with 47 tackles. LB Rolando McClain has 38 tackles & leads team with 2 INTs. DT Henry Melton had 2 sacks last week, 1 of 3 career games with 2+ sacks.

Results and Schedule

Arizona Cardinals
Week	Date	Opp	H/A	Score	Dif
1	2014-09-08	SD	H	W 18-17	+1
2	2014-09-14	NYG	A	W 25-14	+11
3	2014-09-21	SF	H	W 23-14	+9
4		Bye
5	2014-10-05	DEN	A	L 20-41	-21
6	2014-10-12	WAS	H	W 30-20	+10
7	2014-10-19	OAK	A	W 24-13	+11
8	2014-10-26	PHI	H	W 24-20	+4
9	2014-11-02	DAL	A
10	2014-11-09	STL	H
11	2014-11-16	DET	H
12	2014-11-23	SEA	A
13	2014-11-30	ATL	A
14	2014-12-07	KC	H
15	2014-12-11	STL	A
16	2014-12-21	SEA	H
17	2014-12-28	SF	A

Dallas Cowboys
Week	Date	Opp	H/A	Score	Dif
1	2014-09-07	SF	H	L 17-28	-11
2	2014-09-14	TEN	A	W 26-10	+16
3	2014-09-21	STL	A	W 34-31	+3
4	2014-09-28	NO	H	W 38-17	+21
5	2014-10-05	HOU	H	W 20-17	+3
6	2014-10-12	SEA	A	W 30-23	+7
7	2014-10-19	NYG	H	W 31-21	+10
8	2014-10-27	WAS	H	L 17-20	-3
9	2014-11-02	ARI	H
10	2014-11-09	JAC	A
11		Bye
12	2014-11-23	NYG	A
13	2014-11-27	PHI	H
14	2014-12-04	CHI	A
15	2014-12-14	PHI	A
16	2014-12-21	IND	H
17	2014-12-28	WAS	A

Injury Report

Arizona Cardinals
Out	RB Jonathan Dwyer (other-excused) RB Stepfan Taylor (calf)
Questionable	ILB Kenny Demens (knee) TE Troy Niklas (ankle) CB Patrick Peterson (concussion)
Probable	DE Calais Campbell (knee) RB Andre Ellington (foot) WR Michael Floyd (knee) SS Rashad Johnson (knee)
IR	OLB John Abraham (concussion, 9/19/2014) DE Darnell Dockett (knee, 8/20/2014) OLB Matt Shaughnessy (knee, 10/6/2014)

Dallas Cowboys
Questionable	DE Jack Crawford (calf) MLB Rolando McClain (shoulder) QB Tony Romo (back) DE Anthony Spencer (knee)
Probable	CB Brandon Carr (hamstring) SLB Bruce Carter (thigh)
IR	CB Morris Claiborne (knee, 10/4/2014) WLB Justin Durant (biceps, 10/29/2014) DE Ben Gardner (shoulder, 8/26/2014) DE Demarcus Lawrence (foot, 9/2/2014) MLB Sean Lee (knee, 7/1/2014)

Offense Stats Comparison

	ARI Offense	DAL Offense	NFL Avg.	Adv.
Points for	23.7	28.8	23.9	DAL
Rushing yards	76.3	156.0	110.4	DAL
Rushing yards per attempt	3.02	4.83	4.12	DAL
Completion %	54.6%	69.8%	63.4%	DAL
Passing yards	246.3	246.3	249.4	-
Passing yards per completion	12.34	11.95	11.16	ARI
Passing yards per attempt	6.74	8.34	7.08	DAL
Interceptions	0.0	0.5	0.8	ARI
Fumbles lost	0.3	1.3	0.7	ARI
Sacks allowed	0.7	1.3	2.2	ARI
3rd down conversions	43.6%	55.6%	41.3%	DAL
4th down conversions	66.7%	0.0%	45.6%	ARI
Time of possession	30:30	33:17	30:14	DAL

Defense Stats Comparison

	ARI Defense	DAL Defense	NFL Avg.	Adv.
Points against	18.0	20.3	23.9	ARI
Rushing yards	82.0	113.0	110.4	ARI
Rushing yards per attempt	3.61	4.75	4.12	ARI
Completion %	64.2%	68.3%	63.4%	ARI
Passing yards	327.3	253.8	249.4	DAL
Passing yards per completion	11.93	10.69	11.16	DAL
Passing yards per attempt	7.65	7.30	7.08	DAL
INT return	1.3	1.0	0.8	ARI
Fumble recoveries	0.3	0.8	0.7	DAL
Sacks	1.0	1.0	2.2	-
3rd down conversions	39.4%	42.1%	41.3%	ARI
4th down conversions	100.0%	62.5%	45.6%	DAL
Time of possession	29:30	28:44	30:14	DAL

Special Teams Stats Comparison

	ARI	DAL	NFL Avg.	Adv.
Yards per punt return	6.8	7.6	8.6	DAL
Yards per kick return	21.0	24.7	23.9	DAL
Yards allowed per punt return	8.5	10.6	8.6	ARI
Yards allowed per kick return	22.0	27.5	23.9	ARI

Misc Stats Comparison

	ARI	DAL	NFL Avg.	Adv.
Penalties	7.0	5.3	6.9	DAL
Penalty yards	58.0	44.3	57.5	DAL

Note: Team statistics are shown as the average per game through Weeks 3 to 8 of the 2014 season after deducting the best and worst value from the data set. The exception is yards per rush attempt, completion %, yards per pass completion, yards per pass attempt, 3rd and 4th down conversions, special teams and the NFL averages, which are each calculated based on totals through Weeks 3 to 8 with no adjustment.

Weather

Team vs. Team History

Arizona Cardinals vs. Dallas Cowboys
Season	Week	Date	Vis	Home	Score	Winner
2000	2	2000-09-10	DAL	ARI	31-32	ARI
2000	8	2000-10-22	ARI	DAL	7-48	DAL
2001	7	2001-10-28	ARI	DAL	3-17	DAL
2001	15	2001-12-23	DAL	ARI	10-17	ARI
2002	7	2002-10-20	DAL	ARI	6-9	ARI
2003	5	2003-10-05	ARI	DAL	7-24	DAL
2005	8	2005-10-30	ARI	DAL	13-34	DAL
2006	10	2006-11-12	DAL	ARI	27-10	DAL
2008	6	2008-10-12	DAL	ARI	24-30	ARI
2010	16	2010-12-25	DAL	ARI	26-27	ARI
2011	13	2011-12-04	DAL	ARI	13-19	ARI

Note: Only playoff games from the 2004 to 2010 seasons are included in the team vs. team history. Playoff games from seasons prior to 2004 are not currently included in the database.