The Arizona Cardinals have made their quarterback decision heading into Monday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9. After Kyler Murray missed the past two games recovering from a foot injury suffered during the third quarter of the Cardinals’ Week 5 loss to the Titans, ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirmed that Jacoby Brissett will get the starting nod once again, though Murray could still have a role in the game.

The limited participation is a health-based decision, according to Gannon, who made it clear that injured reserve is not currently on the table for the Arizona quarterback, signaling the team’s confidence in his recovery timeline despite the cautious approach.

This cautious handling stands in contrast to how Murray performed during his five starts before the injury. Through five games, Murray had completed 68.3 percent of his passes for 962 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions while adding 173 rushing yards and a touchdown. His passer rating of 88.6 and QBR of 44.1 showed a glimmer of hope.

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Murray is 9-0 at AT&T Stadium, a stretch that began with his legendary high school career at Allen, where he won three straight state championships, then carried through his time at Oklahoma, where he won a Big 12 championship, and now continues with two victories as the 2019 No. 1 overall pick leading the Cardinals to wins in 2020 and 2022.

That perfect record at AT&T Stadium now faces its biggest test against a Cowboys defense that has struggled mightily this season. Dallas ranks 31st in the PFF rankings, allowing 31.3 points each game, numbers that would seem to play directly into Murray’s hands if he takes the field. But instead Brissett, who was signed by Arizona in March on a two-year deal, has stepped in.

In his two starts during Murray’s absence, the veteran has four touchdowns and just one interception. Though the Cardinals lost both games to strong opponents in Indianapolis and Green Bay, Brissett has a QBR of 50.1, suggesting efficiency in his limited work under center.

What made this quarterback situation particularly complex all week was what happened on the practice field during the portions visible to reporters. During Thursday and Friday’s sessions, both quarterbacks took reps, but Brissett took the majority of snaps with the starting receivers, while Murray worked primarily with backup receivers like Simi Fehoko and Xavier Weaver.

Standing at 2-5 Arizona has the potential to flip the game if Kyler Murray plays. But before facing Murray, Dallas must handle another key threat who has been making waves: tight end Trey McBride.

Cowboys face another challenge ahead of monday night showdown

Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer recently called out McBride as a major problem.

Schottenheimer said, “We kind of call it APB, all points bulleted on the guy, because he’s a terrific player.” So the Cowboys know their plan has to start with containing him.

McBride’s stats back up the concern. He’s racked up 421 receiving yards, ranking fourth among NFL tight ends, and found the end zone four times already this season. His impact isn’t just catching passes. He’s a strong blocker too, helping open space in the run game. That’s crucial because Arizona is averaging 110.4 rushing yards a game without their star back James Conner, who is out for the season with a foot injury that required surgery. The team has had to adjust impressively without him.

Dallas’ defense has already given up 46 catches to tight ends for 415 yards and two touchdowns this year, which makes McBride’s role even more troublesome. Schottenheimer warned that focusing too much on McBride could open up other parts of Arizona’s offense, especially Kyler Murray.

He said, “If you send too much attention his way, then that means you’re not keeping eyes on the quarterback.”

Now, the big question: will Murray actually play? All that will be answered on November 3 at AT&T Stadium.