Dissecting Most Crucial Matchups in Dallas Cowboys' Week 9 Contest vs. Cardinals

The Dallas Cowboys look to bounce back in Week 9 when they take on the Arizona Cardinals in Arlington. Dallas lost its second game of the year on Monday night and will have to play much better this week to beat 6-1 Arizona.

The Cardinals sit atop the NFC after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8. A late touchdown pass helped the Cardinals and head coach Bruce Arians extend their division lead in the NFC West.

Dallas had its six-game winning streak snapped by the division rival Washington Redskins. Tony Romo and the offense struggled with the blitz and the defense wasn’t sharp enough to stop Colt McCoy.

Week 9 is a new chapter in the season and features a quality battle between Arizona and Dallas. Let’s examine the most crucial individual matchups to watch Sunday.

Dez Bryant vs. Patrick Peterson

The two best players on the field will be going head-to-head with one another. Dez Bryant and Patrick Peterson are both outstanding athletes, and the better player Sunday could very well determine the team that wins.

Bryant is among the top five in the league in targets with 77 and is 11th in receiving yards with 620.

Peterson is without a doubt one of the top cover corners in the NFL, and Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com reports that he has been cleared for practice after suffering a concussion last week.

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Even though the running game has been exceptionally strong, the Cowboys still have to get Bryant the ball as much as possible. If Peterson can stop that from happening, Arizona has a great chance to emerge victorious.

Rolando McClain vs. Andre Ellington

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

Rolando McClain has been incredible through eight games for the Cowboys. Dallas brought him in this summer with hopes that he could help fill Sean Lee’s void, and he’s done much more than that. He’s third on the team with 38 tackles and has been a force in the middle.

McClain will be forced to step up even more now that teammate Justin Durant has been ruled out for the season. The linebacker tore his right biceps against the Redskins.

Andre Ellington is one of the most explosive backs in the league. He can hurt defenses through the run but is especially difficult to cover in the passing game. He’s got 28 receptions for 274 yards and a score this season.

McClain has been incredible so far in 2014. He’ll need to maintain his level of play on Sunday for Dallas to slow down Ellington.

Orlando Scandrick vs. Carson Palmer

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

The Cowboys' best cornerback this year has been Orlando Scandrick. Once overshadowed by Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne, Scandrick has emerged as a quality NFL corner.

The reason the matchup is Scandrick vs. quarterback Carson Palmer is because there are several receivers the corner could be shadowing.

Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd and John Brown are the Cardinals' leading receivers. They’re all big-play threats and have had long receptions of 80, 63 and 75 yards, respectively, in 2014.

No matter whom Scandrick covers this week, he will need to perform well for Dallas to have success. The defensive front’s focus will be on stopping the run, forcing players like Scandrick to handle receivers with single coverage.