The Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys will take the field this afternoon at AT&T Stadium in Week 17. The Cardinals are underdogs but believe they can beat anyone if they can clean up the self-inflicted mistakes they are having in recent weeks.
The Cowboys are hot, having won four games in a row, and are a tough challenge.
In a simulation of the game on Madden NFL 22, the Cardinals play well but have problems protecting Kyler Murray and struggle in the red zone, leading to a 20-16 loss in Dallas.
They held the Cowboys to 2-of-9 on third down, but the Cardinals only scored one touchdown in four trips to the red zone, including their drive of the game, when they turned the ball over on downs, needing a touchdown to take the lead with under two minutes left in the game.
The Cardinals took a 9-3 lead in the first half on three field goals, but Micah Parsons picked off Murray before the half and the Cowboys made it 9-6 at halftime.
Ezekiel Elliott had a four-yard touchdown run to start the second half and give the Cowboys a 13-9 lead but the Cardinals took a 16-13 lead on a one-yard touchdown run from Chase Edmonds.
The Cardinals stopped the Cowboys in their next possession, with Chandler Jones getting consecutive sacks, but the Cardinals were forced to punt and the Cowboys took the lead with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott to Elliott.
The Cardinals drove down the field and got down to the five-yard line, but on fourth down, the pas was incomplete and they turned the ball over on downs. The Cowboys ran out the final minute and a half to end the game.
The Cowboys sacked Murray six times in the game. Murray was 25-for-45 for 268 yards and an interception in the simulation. Prescott had the one touchdown pass on 19-of-30 passing for 219 yards. Elliott had 78 rushing yards and a score on 15 carries. Amari Cooper led the Cowboys with six receptions for 83 yards.
Antoine Wesley was the leading receiver for the Cardinals with six catches for 83 yards. Christian Kirk had six for 56 and A.J. Green caught five for 61 yards.
Edmonds had 58 rushing yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.
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