People like to say that 'everything is bigger in Texas' but I find it hard to believe that was the reason this game meant so much. After dropping three games in a row and the playoffs looming, this matchup in Dallas was arguably the biggest game of the 2021 regular season.
"We wanted to get back to who we are," said Isaiah Simmons.
Back to a team that was averaging nearly 30 points per game on offense. Back to one of the toughest road defenses in the league. Back to coming home with a win.
Kyler Murray led the way on offense, posting 307 total yards and two beautiful touchdown connections with fellow Texan Antoine Wesley. Murray also joined Cam Newton (2011-13) as the only players in NFL history with 11,000+ passing yards and 1,500+ rushing yards in their first three NFL seasons.
"Coming home, I feel like I can't lose. That's the mentality; that's just how I feel," said Kyler Murray. "It's about coming out and executing."
Budda Baker seemed to make a big play of every drive of the game, as the defense slowed down the league's top rated offense and held them to 22 points. Matt Prater more than chipped in, accounting for 13 points and extending his NFL record of 50+ yard field goals with the 66th of his career.
"That was a playoff football game. It's not going to be perfect," said Kyler Murray.
It wasn't a flawless victory by any means, but it was a hard-fought battle, and a win is a win.
"Everybody faces that adversity. Everybody goes through those tough patches and they either make you a tougher team or you kind of bow out," said Coach Kingsbury. "Hopefully this makes us a better team going through that."
With their win on Sunday, the Cardinals improved to 8-1 on the road this season setting a franchise record for road wins in a single regular season. The next challenge comes at home in the shape of the Seattle Seahawks and a potential NFC West crown on the line.
"There's a lot of confident players in that locker room that believe that we can be really good. You've just got to keep fighting in this league," said coach Kingsbury.
Keep fighting, indeed.
1-0 every day.
