Arizona
Cardinals
5-2
70
FINAL
9
Dallas
Cowboys
0-6-1
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a stunning display of dominance, the Arizona Cardinals crushed the Dallas Cowboys with a final score of 70 to 9 in Week 8 of the 2026 season. This game had significant playoff implications as the Cardinals sought to solidify their position in the postseason race, while the Cowboys looked to rebound from recent struggles.
Cardinals quarterback J.J. McCarthy was the star of the night, throwing for an impressive 295 yards and five touchdown passes, showcasing his precision and poise under pressure. Wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. also had a standout performance, racking up 197 receiving yards and contributing to the offensive onslaught that overwhelmed the Cowboys' defense. Despite the lopsided score, Dallas's Aaron Jones Sr. managed to lead his team in rushing with 51 yards.
Defensively, the Cardinals were relentless, with Jarrian Jones making a significant impact by snagging two interceptions, which played a crucial role in shifting the momentum of the game. Sheldon Rankins anchored the defense with four total tackles, helping to stifle any offensive rhythm the Cowboys attempted to establish. The turning point came early in the second quarter when McCarthy connected with Thomas Jr. for a long touchdown, igniting a scoring barrage that left Dallas reeling for the remainder of the game.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J.J. McCarthy | QB | 19 | 12 | 63% | 295 | 5 | 0 | 146.3 |
| Kirk Cousins | QB | 33 | 13 | 39% | 156 | 0 | 6 | 15.0 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Jones Sr | HB | 13 | 51 | 3.9 | 14 | 1 | 19 | 0 |
| Christian McCaffrey | HB | 3 | 34 | 11.3 | 8 | 1 | 18 | 0 |
| Braelon Allen | HB | 5 | 24 | 4.8 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| Keenan Allen | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| George Pickens | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kirk Cousins | QB | 1 | -1 | -1.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Thomas Jr | WR | 7 | 197 | 28.1 | 61 | 4 | 73 | 1 |
| George Pickens | WR | 3 | 46 | 15.3 | 8 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| Josh Oliver | TE | 3 | 40 | 13.3 | 7 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| Van Jefferson | WR | 2 | 35 | 17.5 | 7 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| Christian McCaffrey | HB | 2 | 34 | 17.0 | 28 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Oronde Gadsden | TE | 1 | 29 | 29.0 | — | 1 | 29 | 0 |
| Keenan Allen | WR | 2 | 25 | 12.5 | 9 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Aaron Jones Sr | HB | 1 | 24 | 24.0 | 12 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Devaughn Vele | WR | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | — | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Braelon Allen | HB | 3 | 6 | 2.0 | 21 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jarrian Jones | CB | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Joey Porter Jr | CB | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Quan Martin | FS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nic Scourton | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Talanoa Hufanga | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Sheldon Rankins | DT | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Quay Walker | WILL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Demario Davis | MIKE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aidan Hutchinson | LEDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Jones | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carlton Davis III | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Riq Woolen | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaylinn Hawkins | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kalen DeLoach | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Keionte Scott | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Xavier McKinney | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Singleton | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Izien | SS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Leonard Williams | DT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Danielle Hunter | REDG | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler Loop | K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Trey Smack | K | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |

