The Pressure Is on in Dallas: Who Must Rise When It Matters Most
The Dallas Cowboys return home to face the Arizona Cardinals. Last week was their worst performance since Week Three against the Chicago Bears. They hope to rewrite the narrative and get a win this Monday. Here are players who need to step up. With playoff positioning starting to take shape, this matchup isn’t just about redemption; it’s a crucial test of leadership, execution, and resilience for a roster built to contend now.
The Whole Cowboys Defensive Line
Quarterback Kyler Murray is expected to return to the lineup, allowing the Cardinals’ offense to regain its explosiveness and mobility, forcing the Cowboys’ defensive line to elevate its game across the board. Dallas will need to maintain gap discipline, collapse the pocket, and contain Murray’s scrambling ability—because if he’s allowed to extend plays, Arizona’s rhythm and tempo could quickly put the Cowboys on their heels. Murray's best attribute is his legs, meaning containing Murray won’t be easy. Their defensive ends, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Sam Williams, and Dante Fowler, are going to have to do a great job at holding their edges and making Murray stay in the pocket. If the Cowboys can force Murray to win with his arm rather than his legs, they’ll dictate the tempo of the game—disrupting Arizona’s rhythm, creating turnover opportunities, and getting their defense off the field with crucial stops.
Quarterback Dak Prescott
Dak Prescott and the Cowboys' offense need to bounce back after getting blown out by the Denver Broncos. The Cardinals' passing defense allows 257 yards per game, which is the 31st worst, and their pressure rate ranks at 23%, which is the worst in the NFL. This means that as long as the Cowboys' offensive line holds up, then we will see a big day out of Prescott. Dak will need to hold the pocket and get it to his wide receivers. They average 263 yards per game throwing the ball. Look for Prescott to have a big day, especially going against one of the worst defenses in the league.
Wide Receiver George Pickens
Since CeeDee Lamb has been back, George Pickens has not been getting as much attention. In the past two weeks, he’s had 11 catches for 160 yards and zero touchdowns. I think that Pickens is in for a good day going against an inferior defense. Allowing 257 yards of offense, and the Cardinals' defense is going to be focused solely on Javonte Williams and Lamb, we can see Pickens stepping up and exploiting one-on-one coverage. The Cowboys take on the Cardinals in a heated Monday Night Football clash in Arlington. This could be the return of Kyler Murray, and the defense needs to be on point. Despite them struggling the past couple of weeks, Matt Eberflus needs to have his guys ready for battle. The defensive line has to hold their edges and make Murray beat them with his arm. On the other hand, the Cowboys' offense needs to be perfect this week. It will be a back-and-forth battle, and the Cowboys' method to success will be limiting the penalties and turnovers.
