Milton’s Efficiency Powers Cowboys Past Cardinals 34-13

Early Dominance Sets Tone

The Dallas Cowboys established control early on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Behind a highly efficient passing performance from Joe Milton III, Dallas built an insurmountable lead before halftime, ultimately securing a 34-13 victory over the host Arizona Cardinals.

Milton was precise from the opening drive, completing nine of thirteen pass attempts for 179 yards and two touchdowns. His connection with Malik Davis proved crucial in the first quarter. Davis caught an eight-yard pass from Milton to open the scoring, followed shortly by a 53-yard touchdown strike to Jonathan Mingo. Both scores included successful kicks from Brandon Aubrey, giving the Cowboys a 14-0 advantage.

Halftime Lead Expands

The second quarter saw Dallas extend its lead further as Milton contributed on the ground as well. A one-yard rushing touchdown by Milton, paired with Aubrey’s kick, pushed the score to 21-3 before Arizona could respond. The Cardinals’ offense, led by Gardner Minshew II, struggled to find rhythm against the Cowboys' defense.

Minshew completed 19 of 23 passes for 177 yards but threw one interception that stifled potential scoring drives.

Arizona managed only field goals from kicker Chad Ryland in the second half. A 38-yard attempt made it 14-3, and a 31-yard kick narrowed the gap to 21-6 before Aubrey added a 50-yard field goal to make it 24-6 at the break.

Third Quarter Response Falls Short

The Cardinals showed brief life in the third quarter when Corey Kiner rushed for a one-yard touchdown, making the score 24-13. However, Dallas answered immediately with another Aubrey field goal, this time from 29 yards out, restoring the double-digit margin at 27-13.

Jaydon Blue provided a spark on the ground for Dallas, carrying the ball 15 times for 75 yards. On the receiving end, Camden Brown led all Cowboys receivers with two catches for 77 yards, highlighting the balanced offensive attack that kept Arizona’s defense off balance throughout the game.

Final Score and Records

The fourth quarter was largely a formality as the Cowboys sealed the win with a Phil Mafah 15-yard rushing touchdown, capped by Aubrey’s kick, to make the final score 34-13. The victory improves Dallas’s record to 2-0 on the season, while Arizona falls to 1-2.

Sources

https://www.espn.com/nfl/game/_/gameId/401874101