Arizona Cardinals Continue To Surprise, Pound Dallas Cowboys 28-17

Don't let the 28-17 score fool you, the Arizona Cardinals came into AT&T Stadium and dismantled the Dallas Cowboys.

It was a shaky start for Carson Palmer and the Cardinals from the opening drive of the game, as they got to the Cowboys 46 yard line before Palmer was threw a pick six that was returned 58 yards by Tyler Patmon to give the Cowboys the early 7-0 lead. After Dan Bailey connected on a 52 yard field goal later in the quarter, Palmer put the Cardinals on the board with a seven yard touchdown pass to John Carlson, cutting the lead to 10-7.

From that point on, it was all Cardinals. Carson Palmer threw his second touchdown pass to Jaron Brown for an 11 yard touchdown, making 14-10. Palmer had his third and final touchdown pass of the day in the fourth quarter, a one yard pass to Andre Ellington that ultimately iced the game. All three of Palmer's touchdown passes came on third down.

The Cowboys offense was nonexistent for nearly the entire game, as the Arizona defense stymied the NFL rushing leader Demarco Murray and the rest of the Cowboys rushing attack. Murray finished the day with just 79 yards on the ground, after having over 100 in every game this season.

The Arizona defense didn't just stop the rushing attack, they also did a great job of limiting the Cowboys passing game as well. Tyrann Mathieu and Antonio Cromartie each had interceptions, while Patrick Peterson and Cromartie both locked down Dez Bryant and Terrence Williams. Bryant and Williams didn't have catches until the fourth quarter and they both finished with just two. Bryant did get a touchdown catch late in the fourth quarter, but that was after Marion Grice recorded his first career touchdown on a one yard run.

The Arizona Cardinals are in a fantastic spot sitting atop the NFC West with a 7-1 record and a bit of a cushion above the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks. The Cardinals will face off against the St. Louis Rams next Sunday at home.