Dallas Cowboys 16-28 Arizona Cardinals, summary: score, stats, highlights | NFL Week 3
Cardinals defeat Cowboys 28-16 to improve to 1-2
Cowboys suffer first loss at the hands of winless Cardinals
Never bet on the Dallas Cowboys. If there’s anything I’ve learned watching them in the last few decades, it’s that. Just when you think they’re on to something, with the best defense in the league, they lose to a winless team with a backup quarterback. Of course, we knew that the Arizona Cardinals would be the Cowboys’ first real challenge, but still, they should have been the favorable team, and still, they didn't just lose. They looked bad.
The tone was set in the beginning of the game, however, when the inactives list was announced and it included Zack Martin and Tyler Biadsz, and then we saw offensive lineman Tyron Smith standing on the sidelines when the offense came out to play.
Dallas defense - what happened?
The Cardinals offense only really had a few things going for them while the Dallas defense led the league in nearly every category. And yet, they were too much for the Cowboys to get past. Running back James Conner had 14 carries for 98 yards and a touchdown, which could have been expected as he's there best player on the Arizona offense. But backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs also showed up, going 17-of-21 for 189 yards and one touchdown. Brown also added a TD, set up on a 69-yard play-action pass to Wilson and Moore added another.
And as for the Dallas defense, well - where were they? They did lose CB Trevon Diggs to a devastating ACL injury, which was a huge blow. But with players like Parsons, Gilmore, Odighizuwa, Wallace, and Armstrong...it shouldn't have made that great a difference. This Dallas D looked like a completely different group. With 10 sacks through the first two games, they got just two against Arizona (one by Parsons, one by Lawrence). They allowed just 10 points over the first two games, but allowed 28 to Arizona.
As always, it was the ground game that was most difficult for them to stop, as they allowed Arizona to rush 222 yards on 7.4 yards per carry with Conner's and Moore's two rushing TDs.
Cowboys offense unable to finish plays
Less surprising was the Cowboys' offensive performance, but disappointing still. On five different occasions, the Cowboys made it to the red zone and came away with a touchdown in just one of those occasions. In two, they settled for a field goal. In one, they turned it over on downs, and on another, Prescott threw an interception just as the game was winding to a close. In the end, he completed just 25 of 40 passes for 249 yards, one touchdown, and the interception. He did have 24 rushing yards on three carries, but lost 18 yards on two sacks.
Penalties - the Cowboys' own worst enemy
The Cowboys penalties cost them many yards and many opportunities. They had already racked up 11 of them before halftime even arrived. By the end of the game, they'd been given 13 penalties.
What's next?
The Cowboys fall to 2-1 on the season and will look to bounce back when they host the New England Patriots next Sunday.
The Cardinals get their first win to take their record to 1-2 and will face the San Francisco 49ers on the road in Week 4.
Follow all the live scores from Week 3 in the NFL with AS USA.
Cardinals hand Cowboys first loss
The Cardinals run out the clock and it's a Cardinals upset as they beat the Cowboys 28-16 in Week 3 to serve Dallas their first loss of the season and walk away with their own first win.
TWO-MINUTE WARNING
There are 2 minutes left to play and the Cardinals have the ball at thei Cowboys 37 with a 12-point lead. Game over.
Conner gets another 9 yards - 2nd and 1 at the Cowboys 37
Conner gets another 6, Cowboys' Hankins gets a FaceMask call for 15 yards
Dobbs takes it up 3 for the 1st down, Dallas takes final timeout
Conner gets 2 yards, Dallas takes timeout.
Conner gets 7 yards, Dallas takes timeout.
Prescott throws an INTERCEPTION on their last-ditch effort to score, right into the hands of White in the end zone, all but sealing the delivery of their first loss of the season
Pollard had a loss of 2 and a gain of 1 to put Cowboys at 3rd and goal - looking familiar...
Cardinals' Thompson was injured on the play
Pollard takes it up 5 yards to put Cowboys at 1st and goal
Pollard takes it up 2 to get the 1st down
Prescott pass deep into the endzone to Gallup is incomplete, but there's a PersonalFoul on Cardinals' Wilson - 3rd and 1
Holding on Offense, Offsides on Defense - replay 2nd down
Dowdle escapes the Cardinals defense to nearly get the 1st but is stopped just short
Holding call on Cardinals' Stille gives Dallas a lucky automatic 1st down
Prescott pass complete to Gallup for 9 yards, 3rd and 1
Prescott pass incomplete to Ferguson, broken up by Wallace, 2nd and 10
Prescott launches it to Gallup, complete for 21 yards
Pollard takes it up 9 yards, 2nd and 1
The Cardinals got off to a good start with a 28-yard punt return by Dortch and then a huge 69-yard run by Wilson took them straight into Cowboys territory. This Dallas defense doesn't look anything like the one we've seen in the last few weeks. Dobbs passed it to Brown for 2 yards and the touchdown and Prater's PAT was good to give the Cardinals an even bigger lead with 7:22 to go in the game.
CARDINALS TOUCHDOWN!
Ertz gets 5 yards, 3rd and goal at the Dallas 2
Dobbs pass deep to a wide open Wilson who gets a gain of 69yards to take it all the way to the Cowboys 7
Dortch takes the punt return back 28 yards
The Cowboys get all the way downfield and STILL can't make the touchdown with the Arizona defense all over them. Aubrey's 26-yard field goal attempt is good to put the Cowboys within 5 with 9:33 left to play in the final quarter.
COWBOYS FIELD GOAL!
Prescott pass incomplete to Lamb - stopped by Clark
Prescott hands off to Lamb but he gets nowhere - 3rd and goal
Cardinals' Barnes was injured on the play
Prescott handoff to Dowdle for a few yards - 2nd and goal
Prescott pass complete to Gallup for another 10 yards to the Cardinals 10
Prescott pass complete to Cooks for his first 1st down of the day for 12 yards to the Cardinals 20
Dowdle takes it up another 5 and Pollard gets just 2 and Cowboys are back at 3rd down but need just 3
Dowdle takes it up 10 yards for the 1st down to the Cardinals 38
Prescott pass incomplete to Gallup, but a PassInterference call on Clark gives Dallas the automatic 1st down
Cowboys brought to 3rd and 9 quick after barely avoiding an interception
Turpin calls for fair catch this time around after his 51-yard return was called back on a penalty on the previous return
END THIRD QUARTER
The Cowboys are shooting themselves in the foot with penalties. However, they did end the 3rd quarter on a higher note. After turning the ball over on downs, the Dallas defense came to the rescue with Parsons getting a huge hit on Dobbs on 3rd down.
Dobbs SACKED by Parsons for a loss 11 yards
Moore takes it up 6 yards - 3rd and 9
Dobbs to Moore is caught but he's taken down and back by Wilson for a loss of 5, 2nd and 15
At 3rd and 8, Dobbs lobs it downfield and it's caught by Brown for 23 yards
Dobbs pass incomplete to Brown, Holding call on Johnson, declined - Cardinals at 2nd and 10
To no one's surprise, the Cowboys are negating nearly every positive gain with a penalty. McCarthy decided to go for the TD on 4th and 4, but Prescott was under too much pressure. He scrambled away from a sack, but threw the ball to Lamb to no avail and the Cardinals got the ball back at their own 4.
Prescott pass incomplete to Lamb and the Cardinals get the ball back on downs - that did NOT pay off
Prescott complete to Ferguson but it's not enough - 4th and 4 and the Cowboys will go for it...
Prescott dropped the snap, FUMBLE, recovered it, pass incomplete to Gallup
Holding call on Edoga - repeat 3rd down, and 13 now
Dowdle gets 5 - 3rd and 3
Dowdle takes it up 2 yards - 2nd and 8 at the Cardinals 9
Pollard breaks through and gets a huge 31-yard gain to the Cardinals 11
Prescott pass complete to Lamb for the 1st down and into Cardinals territory
Pollard takes it up 4 yards - 2nd and 6
Prescott pass complete to Gallup for a huge gain of 27 yards
Turpin returned the ball for a huge run of 51 yards! But of course, Dallas was called for another penalty. Harper was called for Holding, a 10-yard penalty enforced at their own 26.
Demercado taken down by Parsons and Armstrong for no gain, then a Holding call on Cardinals' Johnson set them back even further - they punt it back...
Cardinals' Froholdt gets called for FalseStart - 3rd down and 14
Conner taken down by Hankins and Parsons for no gain - 3rd and 9
Moore taken down by Bland after just a yard - 2nd and 9
The Cowboys made it into the Cardinals territory after converting three third down tries, but couldn't get that last one with the defense all over Prescott. Aubrey came out for the 27-yard field goal attempt and it was good to put the Cowboys within 8 points with 9:27 to go in the 3rd quarter.
COWBOYS FIELD GOAL!
Prescott under pressure throws ball into the end zone and it's incomplete. They'll settle for a field goal.
Prescott gets the ball away under pressure, 3rd and 7
Prescott hands off to Pollard, 2nd and 7 at the Cardinals 8
Prescott narrowly avoided a sack and scrambled away for a gain of 13 yards and the 1st down
Prescott pass incomplete to Lamb and Cowboys are at 3rd and long...again
Pollard taken back 2 yards by White, 2nd and 12
Prescott pass to Lamb caught for a huge gain of 32 yards all the way to the Arizona 22
Cardinals' Collins was injured on the play
Prescott gets the ball away to Pollard but he's taken down by Gardeck for a loss of 1 - 3rd and 7
Prescott to Lamb for 4 yards - 2nd and 6
Luepke takes it up 9 yards for the first down and then some
And we're back!
The Cowboys are starting us off on offense in the second half and Prescott gets it away to Ferguson for a gain of 8 and Pollard for 1, 3rd and 1
The Cardinals were able to get two field goals before the end of the half while the Cowboys got nothing but penalties. After making a 43-yard attempt, Prater made a 62-yard field goal with 3 seconds to go to end the first half with a comfortable 11-point lead for the Cardinals.
CARDINALS FIELD GOAL!
Cardinals take final timeout
Demercado takes it up the middle 2 yards to the Dallas 44
Cardinals take second timeout
Dobbs pass to Moore for 6 yards complete, get the 1st down
Dobbs pass was incomplete to Wilson but Cowboys' Fowler was called for an Offsides, giving Arizona the 1st down and 5
Dobbs pass to Brown caught for 13 yards. Offsides call on Cowboys' Odighizuwa, declined.
Anger punts it, Dortch takes it back 19 yards to the Arizona 29
Cardinals take 1st timeout
Ferguson takes it up 10 yards - 4th and 10
Prescott is forced to throw it away AGAIN - 3rd and 20
Prescott gets the ball away under pressure but it goes nowhere - 2nd and 20
Prescott pass complete to Lamb, but he's called for Pass Interference - 1st and 20 instead
Cowboys take second timeout
Pollard takes it up to the 40 for the 1st down
Prescott under pressure gets it away to Pollard just short of the 1st down - 3rd and 1
Prescott to Lamb complete for a gain of 7
Prater made two field goals, the first from 48 and the second from 43. The first was taken back after the Cowboys gave the Cardinals the automatic 1st down on an Offsides call. They Dallas defense was able to keep them from getting too much further down the field and out of the end zone, but still left them with a more-than-manageable field goal. Cardinals take the lead back up to 8 with under 2 minutes to go in the first half.
CARDINALS FIELD GOAL!
Dallas takes first timeout
Dobbs under pressure, gets it away to Moore, but Lewis takes him back for a loss of a yard - 4th and 8 and the Cardinals will attempt a field goal again
Conner takes it up 8 yards, 3rd and 7
Inelligible Downfield call on Cardinals' Humphries - 2nd and 15
Dobbs pass incomplete to McBride, but there are flags...
Dobbs pass incomplete to Brown, broken up by Gilmore - 2nd down
Prater kicked a 51-yard field goal, but the Cowboys were called for Offsides, giving the Cards a 1st down instead.
TWO-MINUTE WARNING
With 2 minutes to go in the first half, the Cowboys are down by 5. The Cardinals have the ball at the Dallas 32 at 4th down and 5 after Lawrence sacked Dobbs.
Dobbs SACKED by Lawrence for a loss of a yard, brings Cards to 4th down
Ingram tries to take off again but Lawrence takes him back for a loss of 2 yards - 3rd and 4
Ingram gets a pickup of 8 yards before he's taken down by Clark - 2nd and 2
And it's Conner again who takes it up 12 for yet another 1st down
Conner gets away again for another big gain of 26 yards to the Cowboys 49
Dobbs to Brown pass complete for 10 yards
Dobbs pass incomplete to Ertz, then a Holding call on Johnson puts them back another 10 yards
Prescott passed to Dowdle who took off for 15yards into the end zone to give the Cowboys their first TD of the game against Arizona. Aubrey's PAT was good and the Cowboys trail by 5 with 5:32 left in the first half.
COWBOYS TOUCHDOWN!
Prescott pass to Cooks was caught but it was just outside of the end zone, incomplete 2nd and 15
False Start on Cowboys' Steele - 4 yards
Pollard takes it up yet again for a gain of 8 to the Cardinals 11 - 1st down
Pollard gets another 5, 2nd and 5 at the Cardinals 19
Pollard gets the ball and makes it past for 5 yards and the 1st down to the Cards 24
Ferguson gets the ball again for a gain of 10 to bring Cowboys back to 3rd down, this time with 1 yard to go
Prescott pass to Ferguson under pressure is caught for the 1st down but Bass is called for Holding so now it's 2nd and 11 for the Cowboys instead.
Prescott gets the ball to Lamb who drops back and then dances away for a gain of 9 yards - 2nd and 1
Prescott pass to Cooks complete for 5 yards for the 1st down
Prescott pass to Schoonmaker incomplete - 3rd and 5
Prescott to Gallup pass complete for a pickup of 5 - 2nd and 5
Prescott scrambles away 10 yards to get the 1st down
Pollard takes it up again for another 8 and the 1st down
Pollard takes it up the middle 8 yards - 2nd and 2
Moore finds the hole and gets away from the Dallas defense to explode for 45 yards and a touchdown. They go for 2 again with a pass to Brown, but it's incomplete and the attempt fails. Cardinals are up 15-3 with 12:31 to go in the first half.
CARDINALS TOUCHDOWN!
Dobbs to Moore, takes it up 8 yards to the Cowboys 45 - 2nd and 2
Dobbs pass was incomplete to Moore, but Dallas defense was given two penalties - Offsides on Parsons and Holding on Lewis, 5-yard penalty gives Cards automatic 1st down
Dobbs gets the ball away to Conner, who gets a gain of 7 before being stopped by Gilmore - 3rd and 11
Ingram gets just 2 yards before being stopped by Kearse - 2nd and 18
Dobbs gets away from Lawrence, but the Cards are called for Holding (Humphries) for a 10-yard penalty
END FIRST QUARTER
The Cardinals have the ball at their own 43 on 1st down after a 12-yard pass from Dobbs to Brown. They have a 9-3 lead over the Cowboys heading into the second quarter in Phoenix.
Dobbs pass to Brown complete for 12 yards and the 1st down
Ingram takes the ball again and this time gets 8 yards - 3rd and 4
Ingram taken back by Odighizuwa, loss of a yard - 2nd and 11
The Cowboys get points on the board after a rough attempt to get into Cardinals territory. Prescott was sacked twice and they couldn't get enough gain to get the touchdown. Aubrey's field goal attempt from 49 yards was good and the Cowboys trail by 6 with a minute 48 left in the 1st quarter.
COWBOYS 49-YARD FIELD GOAL!
Prescott pass incomplete to Lamb, blocked by Barnes brings Cowboys to 4th down and they go for the 49-yard FG attempt
Pollard up the middle for 6 yards - 3rd and 4
Prescott pass incomplete to Cooks, broken up by Wilson, 2nd and 10
Prescott pass caught by Gallup for a bg gain of 19 yards at the Cardinals 37
Prescott SACKED again, this time by Dimukeje for a loss of 7 yards
Luepke gets 12 yards for another 1st down
Prescott pass deep to Lamb was incomplete on 2nd and 21, but Cardinals' Thompson was called for Pass Interference, giving Dallas the automatic 1st down
Prescott SACKED by Collins for a loss of 11 yards
Ferguson catches the pass for Prescott for a pickup of 12 yards and the 1st down for the Cowboys at the Cowboys 40
The Cowboys gave away a 1st down on a penalty to allow Conner to take off for several big runs down the field. And it was Conner who finished off the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run. They went for the 2-point conversion, giving the ball to Conner, but he was wrapped up by the Dallas D and the attempt failed. Cardinals take an early 10-0 lead with 6:12 to go in the 1st quarter.
CARDINALS TOUCHDOWN!
Conner gets away for 10 yards for the 1st down and then some
At 2nd and 3, Bell and Lawrence take down Conner before he can get anywhere at all - 3rd and 2
Dobbs gets out of the pocket and scrambles away, but Parsons gets to him before he can make the 1st down - Clark makes the hit to take him all the way down
Conner takes off for a huge, 20-yard run to the Cowboys 23!
Dobbs pass to Brown was incomplete but Cowboys' Bland was called for PassInterference - gives Cards the automatic 1st down
Dobbs passed to Wilson who ran up 17 yards to get Cardinals the 1st down
Anger's 53-yard punt was returned by Dortch for 29 yards, but Cards' Ojulari was called for an Illegal Block Above the Waist for a 10-yard penalty, enforced at their 32.
Prescott gets the ball away to Dowdle, but he falls down after just a yard. Cowboys held to 4th and 15 and will punt it back to the Cards.
And now the Cowboys have been been hit with a Delay of Game - 3rd and 16
Back-to-back runs by Tony Pollard are too short, put Cowboys at 3rd and 6 and then they got hit with a False Start on Steele to put them even further back to 3rd and 11
Touchback - and Prescott and the Cowboys have taken the field.
Quarterback Joshua Dobbs took off for 42 yards to get the Cardinals into Cowboys territory real quick. They couldn't get past the Dallas defense a second time though and were stopped at the Cowboys 21 to try for a field goal instead. Prater's 39-yard try was good to put the Cards up by 3 to start off the first quarter.
Cardinals 39-yard field goal is GOOD!
After the big run, Cardinals made it to 3rd and 2, but Parsons took down TE Ertz to stop them getting any further. Cards will go for the field goal try.
On 2nd down and 8, Dobbs took off for 42 yards! What a start for the backup QB.
Game time!
And the Cowboys will kick us off with the Cardinals on offense in Phoenix. It's a touchback and Joshua Dobbs takes the field for the Cards.
James Conner: Cardinals' biggest threat
The Cardinals offense doesn't have too much to brag about, but they do have one big threat: running back James Conner.
Conner is sixth in the league in rushing with 168 yards through the first two games and averages 4.5 yards per carry. He's rushed for 10 first downs so far this season and has accounted for one touchdown. Last season, he had 10 scores in just 13 games and had 17 total scores in 2021. He's also been a reliable pass catcher for Arizona, accounting for at least 34 receptions in five seasons. He is the one the Cowboys defense needs to be on top of.
Cowboys make roster moves
Since Trevon Diggs is out for the rest of the season, the Dallas Cowboys have signed C.J. Goodwin to the 53-man roster. And since center Tyler Biadsz is out with a hamstring injury, they also elevated Brock Hoffman and SeanHarlow from the practice squad.
Brandin Cooks active vs Cardinals: Cowboys/Cardinals full list of Inactives
Arizona Cardinals Inactives vs Dallas Cowboys
LB Joshua Woods
CB Starling Thomas B
OL Carter O'Donnell
OL Ilm Manning
TE Elijah Higgins
Dallas Cowboys Inactives vs Arizona Cardinals
C Tyler Biadasz
OG Zack Martin
DB Israel Mukuamu
CB Eric Scott
WR Jalen Brooks
DL Villami Fehoko Jr.
QB Trey Lance (emergency QB)
Let's not overlook the Cardinals defense
The Arizona Cardinals may be 0-2, but their games have been close, and their defense has been putting in the work. They have nine sacks on the season, tied for second-most just behind the Cowboys, who have 10.
They have forced four turnovers and scored one defensive touchdown. Linebacker Dennis Gardeck was resposible for three of the Cardinals' nine sacks, tied for second-most in the league.
Bills WR Stefon Diggs honored brother Trevon
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs was honored by his brother, Bills receiver Stefon Diggs, after he suffered a season-ending ACL injury to his left knee.
We’re 2-0 because of execution and how we prepared. That’s why we’re 2-0. We’re not 2-0 because of anything else. It’s just remember what’s our process, where are we at in our process."
Cowboys and Cardinals: Where do they stand?
The Arizona Cardinals are 0-2 and the Dallas Cowboys are 2-0 heading into the Week 3.
Dominant Dallas Defense
The Cowboys have been dominant in their start to the season, beating the Giants 40-0 and then the Jets, 30-10. Unfortunately, today they will be playing without one of their best defenders, cornerback Trevon Diggs, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury. So far, the Dallas defense has been a big part of the Cowboys' success. They lead the league in scoring defense, total yards per game allowed, passing yards per game allowed, sacks, and takeaways. However, they've made some roster moves ahead of the game today and still have a lot of depth on defense.
Cardinals still without Murray
The Cardinals have yet to win a game and are still without starting quarterback Kyler Murray, who also suffered a torn ACL last season. Instead, they have Joshua Dobbs at the helm, who will start against the Cowboys. So far, Dobbs has not won a single game that he's started (four total), including a 27-13 loss to the Cowboys when he played for the Titans last year.
Cowboys vs Cardinals: History
Although the Cowboys have the lead over ex-NFC-East rivals Cardinals all-time, 56-33-1, they have not fared well against them on the road in recent year. Since 1999, the Cowboys are 2-7 on the road against Arizona, bue of those seven losses, three were won by the Cardinals in overtime and two were won by just one point.
Hello everyone and welcome to our live text coverage of the Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals!
The game kicks off at 4:25 p.m. ET from University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona. We will be here throughout the game to bring you the latest updates, scores, and highlights!