Injuries to Week 3 opponent could benefit Arizona Cardinals in a big way

The Arizona Cardinals scoring attack made tremendous strides last Sunday during the club's 31-28 loss to the New York Giants. After being held without a touchdown versus the Washington Commanders in Week 1, quarterback Josh Dobbs and company reached the end zone four times against the Giants. Whether the offense's upward spiral can continue during a Week 3 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys remains to be seen.

Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing's group actually received a huge break this past Thursday when Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs suffered a major injury at practice. The two-time Pro Bowler has a torn ACL and will miss the remainder of the season. What does that mean for a Cardinals passing game that looked a whole lot better in Week 2?

Marquise "Hollywood" Brown is the Arizona wide receiver who should benefit the most from Diggs' absence. The 5 foot 9,180 pound Brown seemed to be developing a rapport with Dobbs last week, when the pair hooked up six times for 54 yards and a score during the clash with New York. You can expect the Cards to take some deep shots downfield this coming Sunday, now that Diggs won't be roaming the Dallas secondary.

A depleted "Big Red" defensive line may have also stumbled upon some good fortune. Zack Martin, the Cowboys' eight-time Pro Bowl guard, could also miss the Cardinals game. The 6 foot 4, 310 pounder is dealing with a bum ankle, and his status for the meeting at State Farm Stadium is completely up in the air.

There's also a possibility that starting center Tyler Biadasz could also be sidelined when Dallas visits the Redbirds. The 25-year-old has an issue with his hamstring, and is listed as questionable at the time of this writing.

Arizona Cardinals are dealing with injuries of their own on the defensive side of the ball

As alluded to earlier, Arizona's defensive front would benefit highly from Martin and Biadasz not being healthy enough to play. Defensive end L.J. Collier has been placed on the injured-reserve list with a torn biceps muscle and will miss at least four contests. Carlos Watkins, another defensive lineman who is also a former Cowboy, is likely done for the year after sustaining a biceps injury of his own.

The biggest disappointment on the Cards' side of things, however, is the strained hamstring that has taken safety Budda Baker out of the lineup. Not having the five-time Pro Bowler on the field definitely contributed to last week's gut-wrenching, second-half collapse against the Giants. Things won't be any easier when the Cardinals secondary, without contributions from Baker, takes on a high-flying Dallas offense on Sunday.

An undermanned Arizona roster will gladly accept any advantage that may come it's way. Granted, the home team has very little chance of defeating the Cowboys this weekend. At the same time, not having to deal with flat-out studs like Diggs and Martin can only increase the odds for a Cardinals upset.