Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals
O/U 37.5 · SPREAD Arizona Cardinals -1.5 · State Farm Stadium
Arizona Cardinals -0.5-105
CONF 58%
Not yet graded
The read
Saturday night at State Farm Stadium, the starters will set the table before the reserves take ownership of the game. In this preseason matchup, I’m laying the short number with Arizona because its available rotation and planned playing-time structure give the Cardinals the better four-quarter path.
Mike LaFleur intends to use a handful of established players after holding his starters out against Las Vegas, while Dallas continues a preseason-wide policy of minimal starter involvement. Gardner Minshew II gives Arizona continuity at quarterback, and its backup-led group already produced a 27-14 win. Dallas deserves equal credit for a reserve-driven 17-7 victory over Seattle, but Dak Prescott’s listed start matters only for the snaps he actually receives; his regular-season baseline cannot be extended across this game. Arizona also enters at home with nine days of rest compared with seven for Dallas. My read is that the market has compressed those small Arizona advantages too far.
The danger is Arizona’s thinner injury-driven rotation, particularly with Jeremiyah Love and Josh Sweat unavailable. Dallas has a legitimate late-game path behind Joe Milton III and a depth group that performed well in its opener. That keeps this from being a high-confidence play. Still, Arizona’s case does not rest entirely on one early series: its reserves have already operated successfully, LaFleur plans to mix in more established personnel, and the Cardinals hold the rest and venue advantages. At -1.5 and -102, that is enough for me to put the ticket on Arizona.
Injuries noted
Dallas Cowboys: Zion Childress (Questionable) — Head coach Brian Schottenheimer did not provide reporters with a return timeline for Childress (hamstring) on Tuesday, Mike Moraitis of SI.com reports.; P.J. Locke (Questionable) — Locke (knee) is nearing a return to the practice field, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.; Princeton Fant (IR) — The Cowboys placed Fant (knee) on injured reserve Thursday.; Matt Hennessy (IR) — Neck; Jaishawn Barham (Questionable) — Barham (groin) is nearing a return to practice, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.; Jonathan Bullard (Questionable) — Bullard (hamstring) worked with the rehab group Sunday, Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.; Alijah Clark (Questionable) — Clark left Tuesday's training camp practice due to an ankle injury, Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News reports.; Ajani Cornelius (Questionable) — Knee; Tyler Guyton (Questionable) — Guyton was limited in Tuesday's training camp practice due to a sore elbow, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.; DeMarvion Overshown (Questionable) — Overshown (lower body) was a limited participant during the Cowboys' training camp practice Thursday, Tommy Yarrish of the Cowboys' official site reports.; Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Questionable) — Valdes-Scantling (knee) will be sent for an MRI to evaluate his injury, head coach Brian Schottenheimer said Thursday, Patrik Walker of the Cowboys' official site reports.
Arizona Cardinals: James Conner (Questionable) — Head coach Mike LaFleur said Saturday that there is no timeline for Conner (foot) to participate in 11-on-11 drills in training camp practice, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.; Tip Reiman (PUP-P) — Ankle; Josh Sweat (PUP-P) — Sweat (knee) could return from the active/PUP list as soon as this week, Howard Balzer of USA Today reports.; Garrett Williams (PUP-P) — Achilles; Joey Blount (IR) — The Cardinals placed Blount (neck) on injured reserve Saturday.; Zachary Carter (Questionable) — Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur told reporters Friday that Carter is dealing with a knee injury and that it "doesn't look great," Tyler Drake of ArizonaSports.com reports.; Kaleb Proctor (IR) — Knee - Meniscus; Xavier Weaver (Questionable) — Weaver is in concussion protocol after Thursday's preseason game versus the Panthers, Tyler Drake of ArizonaSports.com reports.; Kenny Yeboah (IR) — The Cardinals placed Yeboah (hamstring) on injured reserve Saturday.; Carson Beck (Questionable) — Beck (ribs) is practicing Saturday, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports.; Chase Bisontis (Out) — Head coach Mike LaFleur said Saturday that Bisontis (knee) will be placed on injured reserve, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.; Jeremiyah Love (Questionable) — Head coach Mike LaFleur told reporters Saturday that Love will be sidelined for at least a week by an ankle injury that he sustained during the Cardinals' 27-14 preseason win over the Raiders on Thursday, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports.; Trey Benson (Questionable) — Benson (knee) did not play in Thursday's preseason game against the Cowboys and has no timeline for return, Howard Balzer of USA Today reports.; Elijah Higgins (Questionable) — Higgins (concussion) is progressing through the league's five-step concussion protocol and is close to returning, Howard Balzer of USA Today reports.
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