The Dallas Cowboys are coming off a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Washington Redskins. Tony Romo’s injury during the game has him limited in practice this week. DeMarco Murray had another fantastic game rushing for 141 yards on 19 carries in a losing effort. It’s curious that the Cowboys elected to put the ball in back-up Brandon Weeden’s hands, after Romo exited the game, instead of continuing to feed Murray the ball. If the Cowboys are going to win this week, with an injured Tony Romo, they will have to go back to relying heavily on the run.

The Arizona Cardinals are coming off a thriller in the desert against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cardinals exchanged blows with the Eagles in the final minutes of the game before taking the lead on a 75 yard bomb from Carson Palmer. It’s been an impressive season thus far and they will look to continue flying high this week in Big D.

Cowboys Vs Cardinals Week 9 Odds

Here are the odds from Betonline.ag

Cardinals +3 (-105)
Cowboys -3 (-115)

Over/Under 44.5

Team Breakdowns

Cowboys: Tony Romo’s injury and bad play calling were the biggest factors in their week 8 loss to the Redskins. The Cowboys are at their best when the ball is in the hands of their running-back. Murray has now topped a 100 yards rushing in every game this season. Against a stout Arizona run-defense, the streak is not likely to continue. DeMarco Murray is the most complete back in the league this year, and if the Cowboys are to continue winning, his involvement is paramount. When Romo returned to the field, he looked rattled in the pocket. On the last play of the game, Romo looked completely confused by the defensive-rush of the Washington Redskins. The Cowboy offensive-line played arguably their worst game this season. They struggled to pick up the complicated blitz packages of the Redskins. Romo was on his heals for most of the game. If the Cowboys are going to win they need to return to the formula that worked: Give Murray the ball, and protect Tony Romo.

Cardinals: The Cardinals are the most disrespected team in the NFL. The phrase, “you are what your record says you are,” totally applies to this team. They have earned their 6-1 status. Playing in Dallas is never easy, however, if the Cardinals can stop DeMarco Murray, something no other team has managed to do, then they will win hands down. The Cowboys are not built to win without a dominant run game. Bruce Arians is going to draw up a solid game plan that will force the Cowboys to the air. If Arians can take away the Cowboys run game, Tony Romo should revert to the Romo of old. Fortunately, the Cardinals have one of the best run defenses in all the NFL. Carson Palmer has regained his old form and against the Eagles, he showed why he’s still considered one of the best deep ball throwers in the league. If the Cardinals execute on defense, then Palmer will need to carry them on offense. Look for Palmer to continue to air-it-out against the Cowboys.

Free Pick

The Cowboys are playing with a chip on their shoulder. If the Cowboys hand the ball off to DeMarco Murray more than 25 times, expect the Cowboys to get the win. The Cardinals are going to put their focus on stopping the run, and if they succeed and force Tony Romo to carry the offense, then expect the Cardinals to pull off the upset. For some, the Cardinals are still in need of a statement game. With Tony Romo not at 100% and the erratic nature of the Cowboys’ play calling, they are not a sure bet to rebound at home. The Cowboy’s have only lost at home this season, which means the Cardinals are a good bet to pull off the upset. Expect the Cardinals to win by less than a touchdown.

Arizona Cardinals 24 Dallas Cowboys 20

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