Kickoff: Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET | Location: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas | TV: ESPN / ABC
Kyler Murray’s history at AT&T Stadium is spotless. Nine games, nine wins — from high school championships to Big 12 titles and two statement NFL performances. But when the Arizona Cardinals (2-6) take the field Monday night against the Dallas Cowboys (3-4-1), the former No. 1 overall pick won’t be the one leading the offense — at least not at the start.
After missing two games with a foot injury, Murray could be active for the first time since mid-October, but head coach Jonathan Gannon said veteran Jacoby Brissett will make his third consecutive start. The plan, according to Gannon, will come down to how Murray feels during final walkthroughs and warmups.
“We’ll see how the next couple of days go,” Gannon said. “He’s close, and if he’s active, he’ll be ready to help however he can.”
If there’s ever been a “home away from home” for Murray, it’s AT&T Stadium. He’s 9-0 in the building — dating back to his days at Allen High School, where he went 43-0 as a starter and won three straight state titles. He later lifted the Big 12 trophy there with Oklahoma before adding two more wins as the Cardinals’ starting quarterback.
One of those victories, ironically, came as a backup at Texas A&M before transferring to OU and launching his Heisman-winning career. Monday night could mark his 10th straight win in the building — even if most of the work is done by Brissett.
The 32-year-old Brissett has given the Cardinals some life through the air, throwing for 599 yards over the past two games — impressive numbers considering Arizona ranked 30th in passing offense before Murray’s injury.
Though Arizona has dropped five straight, those defeats have come by a combined 13 points — including three on last-second field goals. That narrow margin gives Gannon and his players confidence heading into Dallas after a much-needed bye week.
“We’ve been right there,” Gannon said. “The bye came at the perfect time to reset, heal up, and refocus. We’re a few plays away from a completely different record.”
Veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell will start his 250th career game Monday, a remarkable milestone in his 18th NFL season. The 39-year-old, who returned to the franchise that drafted him in 2008, has three sacks and 19 tackles this year — still proving productive and durable.
Campbell was a six-time Pro Bowler and a 2017 All-Pro with Jacksonville. Monday night offers a fitting spotlight for one of the league’s most respected players.
“It’s special to do this in a place that means so much to me, with the team that gave me my start,” Campbell said.
Dallas, meanwhile, is battling inconsistency. In their last two games, the Cowboys blew out Washington 44-22 before getting humbled in a 44-24 loss to Denver.
The Cowboys will be just the second team in NFL history to play consecutive Monday Night Football games, joining the 1996 Oakland Raiders. Following this contest, Dallas will enter its bye week before visiting Las Vegas on Nov. 17.
For Arizona, the task is simple: end the skid and show that the team’s season isn’t lost. A win in Dallas — even with Brissett starting — could shift the tone heading into the second half of the year.
For Murray, it’s another chance to keep his AT&T Stadium streak alive, even if his role is limited. And if the Cardinals can pull off the upset, his unbeaten record in the building would remain intact — one of the few certainties in a season that’s been anything but.
