Giddy up: Dak-led Cowboys nothing like 2020 version Cardinals faced

The Arizona Cardinals defense had no problem handling the Dallas Cowboys in a Monday Night Football trouncing just a season ago.

Holding the Cowboys to just two scores in the 38-10 victory, the Cardinals had their number all night long.

While you would think the performance would be a blueprint to follow in 2021, that’s not the case as Arizona prepares for a Dallas team headed by quarterback Dak Prescott.

The signal caller was a key component missing from the Cowboys offense in the 2020 matchup after going down with a compound fracture and dislocation to his right ankle just a week prior.

Now healthy in 2021, Prescott is back to his pre-injury form, if not better.

Through 14 games, the quarterback has thrown for 3,928 yards (ninth in the NFL) and 29 touchdowns, one off from tying his career best of 30 scores through the air, on 68.7% passing. He’s also added 126 yards on 43 carries.

Prescott’s effort has helped garner the No. 1 spot in the league in terms of total offense (409.5) and points per game (30.5).

His play goes far beyond the numbers or rankings, though.

“I think what makes this team so special is the fact that they’ve got Dak, a quarterback who runs the show, everything rolls through him,” linebacker Jordan Hicks said Wednesday. “He’s making checks on the line. He’s doing a great job making good decisions this year, putting the ball where it needs to be.

“We got to stop the run to be able to stop him. This is a very dynamic offense. They’ve made a lot of plays. They’ve got guys that can get in space and win 1-on-1 battles, so really good challenge for us.”

Speaking of the run, Arizona has to not only contend with usual problem Ezekiel Elliott, it also has to watch out for a healthy dose of Tony Pollard, who has been used more and more in Dallas’ offense led by an impressive offensive line.

Pollard has already set career highs in rushing attempts (127), rushing yards (710), targets (41), receptions (36) and receiving yards (288). His four plays of at least 20 yards rushing paces the team’s rushers.

“Even last year, when you watch the Cowboys play, he’s capable in the pass game and then in the running game of making big plays,” defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said Thursday. “He’s a guy you can’t discount. He has his specialty plays. And it’s 10-15 plays a game that you cannot discount, because he will make a big play.”

Pollard’s play paired with Elliott’s 899 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns presents a formidable matchup for a run defense that watched leading NFL rusher and Indianapolis Colt Jonathan Taylor turn in his ninth 100-yard game on Christmas, though nearly half of those yards came on his first touch of the game.

And when the ball isn’t being handed off to either of the backs, Prescott is looking for his favorite targets down the field in wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and Amari Cooper and tight end Dalton Schultz.

Lamb is the unquestioned No. 1 option in just his second NFL season.

The wideout leads the team in targets (114), receptions (74) and receiving yards (1,006) and has found the end zone six times this season. Shultz is another name with at least six touchdowns on the season.

Leading the touchdown category among Cowboys receivers is Cooper, who has seven on the year to go along with 60 catches and 768 yards.

Outside of the trio of pass catchers, no other Dallas player has more than three receiving touchdowns on the roster.

“Offensively, they’re still rolling like they have been with (Cowboys offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore) calling the plays,” head coach Kliff Kingsbury said Monday. “I think he’s done a great job with Dak and that group of skill players that they have.”

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