Decisive First-Half Performance
The Dallas Cowboys secured a commanding 34-13 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The decisive factor in the contest was the offensive production of Joe Milton III, who threw two touchdown passes in the first half to establish a lead that the visitors never relinquished.
The Cowboys improved their record to 2-0, while the Cardinals fell to 1-2.
Scoring Sequence and Momentum
Dallas struck first in the opening period when Malik Davis caught an 8-yard pass from Milton for a touchdown, with Brandon Aubrey’s kick making the score 7-0. The lead expanded to 14-0 later in the first quarter when Jonathan Mingo hauled in a 53-yard strike from Milton, again followed by Aubrey’s successful extra point. The Cardinals remained scoreless after the first quarter, trailing 14-0.
In the second quarter, Arizona’s Chad Ryland kicked a 38-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 14-3. However, Milton responded personally with a 1-yard rushing touchdown, extending Dallas’s lead to 21-3. Ryland added a 31-yard field goal for the Cardinals to make it 21-6, but Aubrey quickly restored the cushion with a 50-yard field goal, leaving the score 24-6 at the half.
The Cowboys entered the second half with a comfortable advantage.