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6 Make-or-Break Players Standing Between the Cowboys and Back-to-Back Wins in Week 8
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- 6 Make-or-Break Players Standing Between the Cowboys and Back-to-Back Wins in Week 8
Arizona has visited AT&T Stadium four times, and the Dallas Cowboys have lost all four, according to DallasCowboys.com . That streak is on the line Sunday, and so is something Dallas hasn't managed all year: two wins in a row. The Cowboys come home off a 38-21 rout of the Eagles .
The Cardinals are 2-5 after a 30-16 loss to Denver, but they beat Dallas 27-17 last season on Monday night, and Dak Prescott hasn't forgotten it.
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"Understanding what happened last year, it was an ugly, ugly game, ugly on our part," Prescott told DallasCowboys.com this week.
Here are three Cowboys who can make Sunday a win and three Cardinals who can break it.
Cowboys who can make it two straight
Oct 26, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams (33) celebrates his touchdown run against the Philadelphia Eagles during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Javonte Williams, the NFL's touchdown leader
Williams ran for a career-high 155 yards in Philadelphia, the first Cowboys player to top 150 on a Monday night since Julius Jones in 2004. He has 472 yards and eight rushing touchdowns on 110 carries, tied for the league lead, and he has scored in five straight games.
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Dallas leaned in with 38 rushing attempts against the Eagles, and that volume has to stick . Arizona has allowed 4.6 yards per carry, and defensive tackle Dante Stills posted a 33.9 run-defense grade against Denver, according to PFF. Williams carries a 76.0 overall grade on his PFF player page , and his 80.0 receiving grade ranks third among 44 qualified backs.
CeeDee Lamb and a first win over Arizona
Lamb has never beaten the Cardinals in seven seasons. He has 53 catches for 651 yards and six touchdowns, including two scores against the Eagles, and his 89.6 grade ranks eighth among 76 receivers, per PFF .
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"We've played them in prime time, they beat us there. So, we need to treat them as if they are a Super Bowl contending team," Lamb told DallasCowboys.com . Arizona allows 8.5 yards per pass attempt and has given up 17 touchdown passes, most in the league. Linebacker Jack Gibbens allowed five catches on five targets for 99 yards against Denver, according to PFF, and the big plays keep coming .
Joey Porter Jr. gets his home debut
Porter plays his first game at AT&T Stadium after Dallas acquired the former Steelers second-round pick earlier this season. Quarterbacks have completed two passes for 10 yards against him, with a 39.6 passer rating, and he carries a 77.9 coverage grade on his PFF page .
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His likely assignment is Michael Wilson, Arizona's top wideout with 37 catches for 375 yards, who was limited Wednesday and Thursday with a rib injury. Dallas has two interceptions all season, and only the Jets have fewer. Porter is the corner most likely to change that.
Cardinals who can break it
Nov 3, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) celebrates with wide receiver Michael Wilson (14) after scoring a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in the second half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Trey McBride, the volume machine
McBride leads all tight ends in targets (74), catches (59) and yards (472), with four touchdowns. Most of it comes short: his average depth of target is 6.1 yards, and he averages 3.1 yards after the catch, per PFF .
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That's a problem for a Dallas defense allowing a 68.1% completion rate. Linebacker Dee Winters missed practice Wednesday and Thursday with a calf injury, and Shemar James allowed five catches on five targets against the Eagles, according to PFF. McBride also has a missed end-zone catch from Denver on his mind.
Budda Baker, the blitzing safety
Baker has four sacks according to PFF (3.5 by the official count), the most of any safety, along with seven pressures on 23 pass-rush snaps and 15 stops. Prescott and the Cowboys struggled with the blitz against Tampa Bay and Green Bay.
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Asked about handling pressure now, Prescott said he feels great about it. Baker's weakness is the back end: his 46.4 coverage grade ranks 78th of 94 safeties. He has also been climbing the trade rumor lists ahead of the Nov. 10 deadline.
Jeremiyah Love and the Dallas run defense
Arizona head coach Mike LaFleur said Friday that Love will play after two games out with an ankle injury. The rookie has 245 yards on 67 carries (3.7 per carry) and a 71.3 rushing grade, per PFF .
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Those numbers aren't scary on their own. Dallas makes them scary: the Cowboys have allowed 1,020 rushing yards, most in the NFL, at 4.7 per carry. Kenny Clark graded 35.1 against the Eagles, according to PFF, and the team has been linked to Patrick Queen for a reason.
If Williams sets the tone and the defense keeps Love and McBride in front of it, Dallas gets back to .500 and buries a bad memory against Arizona. If Baker gets home early, the Cardinals' AT&T Stadium streak could reach five.
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This story was originally published by Athlon on Oct 31, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
