Cowboys’ 2025 season is on the line tonight

Four of the five losses have been to San Francisco, Seattle, Indianapolis, and Green Bay.

All teams with winning records.

This is going to be a tougher game than it looks like on paper. Which is probably why the oddsmakers have it as close as they do.

• Who: Arizona Cardinals
• Where: at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX
• When: Tonight, 7:15 p.m. (CST)
• How (to watch): ABC/ESPN

With Kyler Murray not starting, will Jacoby Brisett be able to duplicate what Joshua Dobbs did to Dallas two years ago? Dobbs led the Cardinals to a stunning 28-16 upset in place of the then injured Murray.

Also, can Arizona get their running game going?

They should, seeing as how the Cowboys can’t stop the run.

For Dallas, it will hinge on the offense. Will we see the Dak Prescott who has put up 37 points or more in four games?

The Cowboys are 3-0-1 when that happens.

Or, will we get the Prescott that has put up 27 points or fewer in the four losses – including just 17 against Denver last week (Joe Milton accounted for the other seven in garbage time)?

Dallas’ best chance to win tonight, as will be the case every week, is to put up 40 points and pray the defense gets more than one stop in the game.

All-Time Marks

Dallas is 56-35-1 all-time against the Cardinals. The teams used to meet twice a year back when they shared the NFC East with the Commanders, Eagles, and Giants.

Most of those games happened when the Cardinals called St. Louis home.

The Cowboys are 32-13 against Arizona when the teams meet in Texas, as they will in this game. Recent history, however, is leaning toward the Cardinals.

Arizona has won the last three games between the teams, and seven of the last eight overall, as well as the last three played in Dallas.

The last time the Cowboys held serve at home against Arizona was a 34-13 win in 2005. Back when Dallas called Texas Stadium home.

The Cardinals are 3-0 all-time at AT&T Stadium. Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray is 9-0 when he plays in football games inside the Cowboys’ home stadium.

He’s 2-0 in NFL games played at AT&T. His absence would seem to improve Dallas’ chances to win tonight.

The Cowboys are 30-32 all-time in Week 9 contests, with one missed game in the 1982 strike and two bye weeks, and have lost the last four Week 9 games.

Dallas has lost the last three Week 9 games played at home. The last Week 9 win at home was all the way back in 2017 against Kansas City.

The last Week 9 win overall was against the Giants in New York in 2019.

When playing Arizona in the ninth week of the season, Dallas is just 2-5 against the Cardinals.

The Prediction

When I ran my preseason prediction posts back in August, I wrote this:

This game will come down to how good the Cowboys’ defense is this season. Offensively, Dallas should be able to put some points up on the board against the Cardinals.

If the defense can contain Kyler Murray and Arizona’s offensive attack, they should be able to snap those losing streaks mentioned above.

I predicted a 27-24 Cowboys’ win two months ago to push the Cowboys to 4-5 on the season. Even with Murray out, I’m changing my mind today.

Prediction: Cardinals 34, Cowboys 31