Barstool Bush
Predictions

Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals

By Bush StaffUpdated 11h ago·2 min read
Dallas CowboysDAL(1-0 PRE)
Arizona CardinalsARI(1-1 PRE)
AT
7:00 PM MST
Show fees
FINAL
Spread
ML
Total
Cowboys(1-0 PRE)
WLWLL
Cardinals(1-1 PRE)
WLLLL
Best BetCardinals -113

Arizona's plan has Gardner Minshew getting extended run as the guy running the offense, which gives the Cardinals more continuity at the position than Dallas has with its own backup competition still unsettled. Arizona's preseason opener was also the more convincing performance of the two. It's a preseason game with backups everywhere, so treat any moneyline lean here as thin, but the price still favors the side with a clearer plan under center.

Cowboys
  • Won last preseason tuneup, 17-7 over Seattle
  • Camp buzz building around Pickens and Lamb this summer
  • Prescott sitting out again, no settled starter
  • O-line questionable tags like Guyton piling up
Cardinals
  • Blew out Raiders, 27-14, in last preseason game
  • Rookie RB Jeremiyah Love turned heads before his injury
  • Both Beck and Brissett out, murky QB depth
  • 1-4 in last 5, and TE Reiman out for the opener

Dak Prescott isn't playing again, and neither of Arizona's top two quarterbacks is walking out for kickoff at 7:00 PM MT either. Gardner Minshew starts for the Cardinals with both Carson Beck (ribs) and Jacoby Brissett held out, while Dallas leans on its Sam Howell-Joe Milton competition behind Prescott to carry the offense. With both sides still at 0-0, this one is about who plays their way onto the 53, not who wins the scoreboard.

Arizona's already navigating life without a few key pieces beyond the QB room — Tip Reiman won't be ready for the start of the regular season and Josh Sweat is still working his way off the PUP list. Dallas is nursing its own bumps up front, with Tyler Guyton among the questionable tags, the kind of thing that matters more when backups are taking most of the snaps. DraftKings is still pricing this like a fairly normal game between two rosters that are anything but full-strength.

Where the last week actually left an impression: Arizona blew past the Raiders behind rookie running back Jeremiyah Love before he banged up an ankle, and Dallas got past Seattle on the strength of its receiving corps. Neither result means much for the regular season, but it's the closest thing either fan base has to real film right now.

Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
(1-0 PRE)
Aug 16W@ SeahawksPre17-7
Jan 4L@ Giants17-34
Dec 25W@ Commanders30-23
Dec 21Lvs Chargers17-34
Dec 15Lvs Vikings26-34
Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
(1-1 PRE)
Aug 14W@ RaidersPre27-14
Aug 7Lvs PanthersPre30-33
Jan 4L@ Rams20-37
Dec 28L@ Bengals14-37
Dec 21Lvs Falcons19-26

Dallas' recent stretch is a mix of old regular-season tape and this summer's preseason opener, but the standout theme is health — Overshown, Barham and Devin Moore all worked their way back onto the practice field this month after earlier injury designations. Arizona's version of that story is murkier: the team hasn't ruled Trey Benson (knee) in or out, and its tight end room thinned further with Reiman's setback.

Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
(7)
  • QuestionableZion Childress (CB) — Childress (hamstring) returned to practice as a limited participant Thursday, Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News reports.08/21
  • QuestionableMichael Trigg (TE) — Trigg (toe) did not practice Thursday, Tommy Yarrish of the Cowboys' official site reports.08/21
  • QuestionableJaydon Blue (RB) — Blue (shoulder) will be limited in practice Thursday, per head coach Brian Schottenheimer, Tommy Yarrish of the Cowboys' official site reports.08/20
  • QuestionableTyler Guyton (OT)
  • QuestionablePhil Mafah (RB)
  • QuestionableJonathan Bullard (DT)
  • Injured ReservePrinceton Fant (TE) — ir08/19
Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
(13)
  • QuestionableTrey Benson (RB) — Benson (knee) has not been present for any portion of the Cardinals' previous two full-squad practices this week, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.08/21
  • QuestionableCarson Beck (QB) — Coach Mike LaFleur said Beck (ribs) "most likely" won't suit up for Saturday's preseason contest against the Cowboys, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.08/20
  • QuestionableXavier Weaver (WR)
  • QuestionableElijah Higgins (TE)
  • QuestionableZachary Carter (DT)
  • QuestionableJeremiyah Love (RB) — Coach Mike LaFleur confirmed Tuesday that Love does not need surgery to address his ankle injury, Tyler Drake of ArizonaSports.com reports.08/18
  • QuestionableJames Conner (RB) — Head coach Mike LaFleur said Saturday that there is no timeline for Conner (foot) to participate in 11-on-11 drills in training camp practice, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.08/15
  • OutTip Reiman (TE) — Reiman (ankle) will not be back for the start of the regular season, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.08/21
  • OutJosh Sweat (LB) — Sweat (knee) is almost ready to be activated off the PUP list, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.08/21
  • Injured ReserveAustin Keys (LB) — ir08/19
  • Injured ReserveChase Bisontis (G) — ir08/19
  • Injured ReserveJoey Blount (S) — ir08/19
  • Injured ReserveJameson Geers (TE) — ir08/19

Whatever happens Saturday won't tell either team much about Week 1, but it will help decide who's still standing when final cuts come. That's the actual stakes here, wrapped in shoulder pads.

Sources

NFLDallas CowboysArizona CardinalsPolymarketKalshi