The Arizona Cardinals are 3-2 and part of a ferociously competitive NFC West. They have played only one game in that division thus far this season, which means they have five division games remaining on their schedule. It is therefore essential to win the non-division games against mediocre teams. Such an occasion emerges for the Cardinals on the latest installment of Monday Night Football. The Cardinals venture to Arlington, Texas, to face the Dallas Cowboys, who are reeling after beating the New York Giants but losing their franchise quarterback for the rest of the season.
Claim your FREE bet up to $500 at FanDuel Sportsbook >>
Details
- Opening Line: Dallas -3
- Current Line: Arizona -1 at FanDuel Sportsbooks
- Over/Under: 55
- Location: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
- Start Time: 8:15 PM ET (Monday Night Football)
- Last Meeting: Cowboys 28 vs. Cardinals 17 (9/25/17)
Game Odds
Overview
The Arizona Cardinals are a very hard team to figure out. They beat the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers on the road to start their season. They gained a 2-0 record and looked like an NFC contender. Then they lost at home to the lowly Detroit Lions and then fell to the Carolina Panthers. They did regroup to beat the New York Jets this past weekend to move to 3-2, but beating the Jets is not an indicator of how good a team is. Look at the San Francisco 49ers, who clobbered the Jets but are currently 2-3 and in bad shape.
The Cardinals' defense was atrocious against Carolina. It improved against the Jets, but this unit needs a real test. The Dallas Cowboys have elite talent at wide receiver and running back, but they don't have their franchise quarterback for this game. Dak Prescott suffered a gruesome ankle injury this past weekend against the New York Giants. He is out for the season after undergoing emergency surgery hours after the Sunday injury on the field. Andy Dalton, the backup quarterback the Cowboys acquired precisely for this kind of situation, will take the field against the Cardinals on Monday night. Everyone will want to see how Dalton responds to a full week of practice with the Cowboys' starters, and how he then reacts to a game in which he knows he will start. Dalton filled in for Prescott in the middle of the Cowboys-Giants game. He committed a big turnover which helped the Giants take the lead, but he then led a few field goal drives which enabled the Cowboys to dig out a 37-34 victory. It is hard to say how much the presence of Dalton - and the loss of Prescott - will affect the Cowboys' offense in this game. The Cardinals' defense looked great in the first few weeks of the season, but it then regressed against the Panthers. Containing the New York Jets gives no real indication of where the Cardinals stand on defense.
The Dallas defense, though, is a huge problem for new Cowboy coach Mike McCarthy. The Giants had been averaging 12 points per game heading into Sunday, but they scored 27 (34 points, but seven were on a pick-six). If the Giants can score 27 on Dallas, Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins can score a lot more.
Trends
- Arizona is 4-1 ATS in its last five games.
- Dallas is 1-5 ATS in its last six games.
- Arizona is 7-1-1 ATS in its last nine games on a field-turf playing surface.
Bottom Line
The Cowboys have played four straight games in which at least 71 points have been scored. Dallas games are regularly shootouts. If it's another shootout on Monday, would you take Kyler Murray or Andy Dalton? The choice seems clear, even with Arizona struggling on defense.
Prediction: Arizona 42, Dallas 34
View the top deposit bonuses and promo codes for each sportsbook >>
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts
Whether you're new to sports betting or a betting pro, our Sports Betting Strategy and Advice page is for you. You can get started with our 101 section - including Common Sports Betting Terms - or head to more advanced strategy - like 10 Tips to Become a Sharper Sports Bettor - to learn more.
Dave Golokhov is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Dave, check out his archive and follow him @davegolokhov.