PML Week Preview
There are games that test talent.
There are games that test preparation.
And then there are games—like this upcoming showdown between the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals at AT&T Stadium—that test everything.
The Cowboys enter Week ___ (your league’s week) facing the harshest wave of adversity they’ve encountered all season. Their starting quarterback, Joe Milton III, is suspended. Their All-Pro-caliber WR1, CeeDee Lamb, is suspended as well. Their longtime anchor Zack Martin has retired. Their rising interior force Tyler Booker is injured. Their dominant rookie DT Dontay Corleone is sidelined. And their depth is being stretched in crucial areas as the playoff race tightens across the NFC.
Yet this team remains unshaken.
Coach Cody Hirsch has built a roster that doesn’t lean on excuses—it leans on identity.
And Sunday, that identity will be tested in a way that defines seasons, locker rooms, and playoff hopes.
A Home Stadium, A Road-Level Challenge
AT&T Stadium is typically where the Cowboys flex their strength—crowd energy, environmental control, offensive tempo, and defensive aggression. But this matchup feels different. It feels more like a proving ground than a familiar setting. The Cowboys are undermanned, reshuffled, and carrying the emotional pressure of heightened stakes.
This game will reveal whether Dallas can manufacture offense without core pieces, whether its defense can compensate for missing interior bodies, and whether young contributors are ready for the spotlight.
If there were ever a game that demanded the Cowboys’ best version of themselves—even without their best personnel—this is it.
OFFENSE: A NEW BLUEPRINT WITHOUT MILTON AND LAMB
The Backup QB: A Moment Larger Than His Resume
With Joe Milton III suspended, Dallas turns to its QB2 in one of the most pressure-packed home starts imaginable. The offensive philosophy pivots sharply from what the Cowboys typically run with Milton’s cannon arm and fearless deep-ball aggression.
Instead of verticality and improvisation, the Cowboys will rely on:
- Quick-game passing concepts
- Defined reads and half-field progressions
- High-percentage throws aimed at sustaining drives
- Play-action designed to create open windows without requiring extended processing
This is not a week where the quarterback must win the game.
This is a week where he must avoid losing it.
His job is simple: clarity, composure, and ball security. The margin for error shrinks dramatically without Milton and Lamb, but structure—if executed—can still win the day.
Life Without CeeDee: A WR Room Steps Into the Void
George Pickens — Elevated to WR1
Pickens becomes the focal point of the passing attack. His ability to win contested catches, bully corners on the boundary, and convert first downs will be central to the Cowboys’ plan. He must become the offense’s stabilizer—even when Arizona inevitably shades coverage his direction.
Jonathan Mingo — The Quiet Key to the Game
With Lamb out, Mingo’s versatility becomes indispensable. He’ll see snaps in the slot, motion looks, and short-area concepts designed to keep the chains moving. His ability to separate underneath and finish catches in traffic will be critical for a backup quarterback who needs reliable outlets.
Denzel Boston — The Rookie X-Factor
Few players on the roster are better positioned for a breakout than Boston.
He brings:
- Size
- Red-zone value
- Ability to win back-shoulder throws
- Acceleration on deep crossers
- Fearlessness in contested environments
If Boston hits on even two high-leverage plays, it could swing the entire matchup.
Jaydon Blue: The Offense Runs Through Him Now
With so many offensive pieces sidelined, Jaydon Blue becomes Dallas’ offensive identity this week.
Expect him to touch the ball 20–25 times through:
- Zone and counter runs behind Tyler Smith
- Screens to punish Arizona blitzes
- Angle and choice routes for easy completions
- Motion looks to lighten boxes pre-snap
Blue has proven he can carry workload, responsibility, and situational leverage.
This is his moment to become the heartbeat of the offense.
If he reaches 100–130 total yards, Dallas will be in a favorable position for four quarters.
THE OFFENSIVE LINE: TESTED, STRAINED, AND CRITICAL
The line goes into this matchup without Zack Martin for good, without Tyler Booker for the week, and with rookie RG Geno VanDeMark making his biggest start yet.
LT Tyler Smith — The Tone Setter
Smith must be the bully of the line—finishing blocks, creating displacement, and giving the backup quarterback a clean blindside. Dallas will lean heavily on him in the run game.
RT Kadyn Proctor — The Rookie With a Veteran’s Responsibility
Proctor’s baptism by fire continues. His size and athleticism are unmatched, but this week demands awareness and mistake-free technique against an Arizona defense that thrives on confusion and pressure.
Geno VanDeMark — Rookie Trial by Combat
VanDeMark steps into one of the league’s toughest situations:
- Home crowd
- Suspended QB
- Suspended WR1
- Injured LG
- And an Arizona defense that lives on interior chaos
But the Cowboys believe in his anchor strength, competitiveness, and mental toughness. He doesn’t need to dominate—he just needs cohesion. If he avoids disastrous pressures, Dallas will find rhythm.
DEFENSE: THE COWBOYS’ SUPERPOWER MUST TAKE CENTER STAGE
If Dallas wins this game, it will be because the defense imposes its will. With the offense shorthanded, this elite unit must play like a top-tier group—and it has the talent to do exactly that.
The Pass Rush Begins With Matayo Uiagalelei
Matayo continues his march toward a Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign. His:
- Explosion
- Leverage
- Finishing torque
- Ability to collapse the edge
…make him a nightmare for any offensive tackle, and Arizona’s protection has not been consistent this season.
Matayo can wreck drives before they even begin.
The New Interior: Osa Odighizuwa & Mazi Smith
With Dontay Corleone injured, Dallas turns to Osa Odighizuwa and Mazi Smith as its DT pairing.
Osa — The Versatile Interior Force
Osa’s blend of quickness, hand usage, and ability to shoot gaps makes him essential in both the pass rush and run-stopping phases. He’ll be the Cowboys’ most disruptive inside presence.
Mazi Smith — Returning to a Starting Role With Power
This is a huge opportunity for Mazi.
His size, strength, and ability to clog interior lanes give Dallas the anchor it needs without Corleone. He will be asked to:
- Occupy multiple blockers
- Win early down leverage
- Keep linebackers clean
- Prevent Arizona from running between the tackles
If Mazi plays well, Dallas can still dictate the tempo defensively.
Overshown & Clark: The Heart of the Defense
DeMarvion Overshown (Agent 0) and Damone Clark step into a massive responsibility this week. They must:
- Track Arizona’s perimeter touches
- Close scramble lanes
- Recognize misdirection
- Clean up quick-game throws
- Pressure when needed
Their communication and discipline will determine whether Arizona can find rhythm.
The Secondary: A Playmaking Unit Built for High-Stress Situations
Even with the offense undermanned, Dallas’ secondary gives them a chance in every game.
Jaquan Brisker — The Emotional Spark
Brisker’s growth has been the story of the season. His:
- Physicality
- Timing
- Leadership
- Turnover creation
…set the tone for the entire defensive culture.
Daron Bland & Martin Emerson Jr. — The Coverage Duo Arizona Must Fear
Bland remains a ball magnet.
Emerson brings length and physicality.
Together, they allow Dallas to disguise, rotate, and play aggressively without worrying about blown coverages.
THE BOTTOM LINE: A GAME THAT DEFINES CHARACTER, NOT JUST RECORDS
Dallas enters this matchup wounded but not weakened.
Shorthanded but not hopeless.
Tested but still capable of outplaying and out-toughing anyone in the league.
This is a defensive game, a run-game game, a discipline game, and a next-man-up game.
If the Cowboys win, it will be because:
- The defense dominates
- Blue controls the pace
- Pickens, Mingo, and Boston deliver as a trio
- The offensive line survives with a rookie starting at RG
- The backup quarterback protects the football
And perhaps most importantly—
Because Dallas refuses to let adversity define them.
Instead, they use it to sharpen their identity.
Sunday at AT&T Stadium will reveal exactly who the 2025–26 Dallas Cowboys are.
