Kyler Murray throws for 263 yards and two touchdowns to help the Cardinals end the Cowboys' four-game winning streak; Dak Prescott finishes 24 of 38 for 226 yards and three scores, including one to Michael Gallup, who suffered a game and likely season-ending knee injury on the play.
Monday 3 January 2022 01:25, UK
Kyler Murray threw two touchdown passes to Antoine Wesley as the Arizona Cardinals snapped their three-game losing streak with a 25-22 victory on the road against the Dallas Cowboys.
The win ended the Cowboys' four-game winning run and left both teams at 11-5 heading into the final game of the regular season, with Arizona still a game behind the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West after Sean McVay's side edged past the Baltimore Ravens 20-19 earlier in the day.
Murray finished 26 of 38 for 263 yards passing alongside his two scores, while Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott went 24 of 38 for 226 yards and three touchdowns as well as losing a costly fumble amid Dallas' efforts to get back in the game in the fourth quarter.
Prescott pulled the Cowboys within three points with 4.42 to play when he connected with Amari Cooper on a four-yard touchdown pass before finding Cedrick Wilson for the two-point conversion. The eight-play, 75-yard drive had been propelled by a trick play that saw Wilson toss a 31-yard cross-field pass to Tony Pollard after receiving the lateral from Prescott.
Isaiah Simmons, the Cardinals' No. 8 overall pick in 2020, showcased his versatility earlier in the quarter when he broke into the backfield to force Prescott to scramble before racing back around and knocking the ball out to derail Dallas' fightback with the first turnover of the game.
Arizona converted the recovery, courtesy of Dennis Gardeck, into a 38-yard field goal from Matt Prater to increase their lead after Wilson's two-yard touchdown catch had made it 22-14 with 13.49 remaining.
The Cardinals established a 10-point cushion after a cagey opening when Murray improvised while rolling to his left with a one-yard strike to Wesley, rewarding the stunning helmet catch from Jonathan Ward on a fake punt on fourth-and-two earlier in the drive. Prater had kicked the first points of the game from 24 yards out midway through the first quarter.
Michael Gallup iced an 11-play, 77-yard possession in response with a 21-yard touchdown catch inside the pylon, but suffered a knee injury for his troubles and was immediately ruled out for the rest of the game. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters afterwards he believed Gallup suffered a torn ACL.
Prater's 53-yard field goal earned the Cardinals a 13-7 lead at the break, after which the visitors built on their advantage thanks to a leaping Wesley's 19-yard touchdown grab on Murray's go-up-and-get-it floater. Arizona subsequently failed to convert their two-point attempt.
Murray avoided an interception on third-and-five from the eight in the third when Jayron Kearse played hot potato with the ball at the back of the end zone, Kliff Kingsbury's side eventually settling for Prater's 26-yard field goal to make it 22-7.
Dallas would outscore their opponents 15-3 in a fourth quarter fightback, but the Cardinals found a fix for an inconsistent run game to chew down the clock.
Cardinals
Cowboys
The Cowboys conclude the regular season at the Philadelphia Eagles (9-7), while the Cardinals are at home to the Seattle Seahawks (6-10).
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