Cowboys vs. Cardinals Point Spread: NFL Week 3 Odds, Prediction
After spanking the archival New York Giants in a 40-0 win to open the season, the Cowboys maintained that momentum while rolling to a 30-10 victory over the New York Jets last weekend. The Cardinals snatched defeat from the jaws of victory last weekend, squandering a 21-point third-quarter lead on their way to a 31-28 loss to the Giants. With that defeat, the Cards have now lost nine straight, and 14 of their past 15 on home turf.
The point spread in Sunday’s clash is unchanged since opening with the Cowboys perched as 12-point road favourites on the NFL Week 3 odds. The Cards lag as distant +494 moneyline underdogs, while the total has dipped slightly to 43 after opening at 43.5.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Sunday afternoon’s matchup marks the first meeting between these teams since January 2022, and the Cowboys’ first trip to the desert since 2017. The Cardinals have dominated Dallas in head-to-head action, winning and covering in six of their past seven meetings including road wins in their past two clashes, and in three of their past four home matchups. While the total has reached or exceeded 45 in each of their past four tilts, the UNDER enjoys a 4-0-1 run, and is 5-2 in the Cowboys’ past seven trips to Arizona. Sunday’s matchup also marks the first time that Dallas has faced the cardinals while perched as double-digit chalk. The Cowboys are 8-1 SU in their past nine versus the Cards while pegged as big chalk. However, they suffered a 25-22 loss while favoured by 10.5 in their last visit to the desert as big favourites, and have covered just once over their past six.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys have silenced their doubters with a pair of spectacular performances to open their schedule, which have also given them new life on the Super Bowl odds. Dallas has gotten things done on both sides of the ball. The squad jumped out to a speedy 16-0 lead over the Giants on the strength of a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown by Noah Igbinoghene, and a subsequent pick-six by DaRon Bland, and provided the Giants with few opportunities to rebound.
Dak Prescott has also been steady under center. After struggling to connect on passes during the team’s rain-soaked clash with the Giants, Prescott rebounded to complete 81.6% of his pass attempts for 255 yards and two scores this past weekend against the jets’ notoriously stingy defense. The team remains without Brandin Cooks, who missed last week’s date with the Jets due to a knee injury. However, Tony Pollard has emerged as a beast in the backfield while averaging 71 rushing yards and recording two scoring runs through the first two weeks.
Arizona Cardinals
Last weekend’s meltdown versus Giants is a tough pill to swallow for the Cardinals, who had otherwise been enjoying a solid start to the season. The Cardinals set themselves up to win with a strong defensive performance in their Week 1 visit to Washington, forcing three turnovers while seizing a 16-10 lead. However, like last week, Arizona quickly faded in the final frame, surrendering a pair of late scores in a 20-10 loss.
After surrendering 439 total yards last week amid their second straight fourth-quarter meltdown, the Cardinals defense clearly has issues, which are not helped by injuries that have landed defenders Josh Woods, Leki Fotu, and Carlos Watkins on the Week 3 injury report. That adds to the pressure on quarterback Josh Dobbs, who has connected on just one scoring pass so far this season.
DAL
ARI