The Arizona Cardinals were looking for their fifth straight victory over the Dallas Cowboys -- but after an impressive start, the Cards fell flat against Jerry Jones' bunch.
Here are three big takeaways from the Cardinals' 28-17 loss to the Cowboys at University of Phoenix Stadium on Monday Night Football.
1. Cardinals beaten at line of scrimmage
Football can be a simple game. The difference in Monday's game is pretty basic: The Cowboys were able to get pressure on the Cardinals' quarterback, and the Cardinals were unable to do the same against the Cowboys' quarterback.
Cards QB Carson Palmer looked pretty good Monday -- when he had time to throw. He completed 15 of 18 passes and a touchdown in the first half, and 29 of 48 passes for 325 yards and two TDs for the game. But much like he was throughout last season, Palmer was running for his life for most of the game. He was sacked six and pressured way more often than that.
The Cardinals' offensive line was once again missing two starters Monday, and it showed. Meanwhile, Cowboys QB Dak Prescott had time to operate and made some incredible throws to rally his team from an early 7-0 deficit.
2. Larry Fitzgerald is still very good
In case you didn't think Larry Fitzgerald had much left in the tank -- well, check out these two grabs from the future Hall of Famer on Monday night.
LARRY. FITZGERALD.
Palmer finds Fitz for the @AZCardinals TD! #BeRedSeeRed #DALvsAZ pic.twitter.com/iYezBuzBie
— NFL (@NFL) September 26, 2017
INSANE GRAB.
Oh my...@LarryFitzgerald says "I'LL TAKE THAT!" ??? #DALvsAZ #BeRedSeeRed pic.twitter.com/BntQSuG8yb— NFL (@NFL) September 26, 2017
For the game, Fitz caught a ridiculous 13 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown, and he moved into eighth place on the NFL's all-time receiving yards list. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, as the Cowboys' defense constantly disrupted Palmer and the running game never got going.
3. What's up with the kicking game?
Seriously, what do the Cardinals have to do in order to find a reliable placekicker? The Cards let Chandler Catanzaro go after an erratic (to say the least) 2016 campaign, and they replaced him with reliable veteran Phil Dawson.
How's that working out for the Cards? Not so well. The 42-year-old Dawson missed his third kick of the season Monday (a typically easy 36-yard attempt) after missing just three kicks in all of 2016 and three kicks in all of 2015. Dating back to last season, only the Redskins have missed as many field goals as the Cardinals' 10.
So... do the Cardinals make a move, or hope Dawson is better from here on out? We'll have to wait and see. Either way, something's gotta change, and soon.
