For a team that entered the 2023 season with subterranean expectations, the Arizona Cardinals have put forth two feisty performances so far. In Week 1, the fourth quarter began with the Cards holding a 16-10 lead. Of course, the Washington Commanders outscored them 10-0 in the final period and secured a 20-16 win.

Week 2 again saw the Cardinals holding a lead late in the game, only to end up on the losing end by the time the clock struck 0:00. The New York Giants stormed back from a 28-7 third quarter deficit to win 31-28. Again, Arizona showed good fight and the ability to create leads. And again, they couldn't hang on, dropping their record to 0-2. Feisty is not synonymous with good.

The Dallas Cowboys sit at the other end of the spectrum. Through two games, they have a 2-0 record, and both games were comfortably controlled by Dallas. After a Week 1 smashing of the New York Giants 40-0 on the road, the Cowboys returned home, where they welcomed the Giants' stadium mate, the New York Jets. That game ended in a 30-10 Dallas victory.

So, does the Cowboys' dominance extend to teams outside of the NY/NJ area, or can Arizona lure them into a classic trap game? Let's run through some bold Cardinals Week 3 predictions.

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3. James Conner extends an impressive streak

Pretty quietly, Cards running back James Conner has produced an impressive run of games. In 22 straight contests, the Pitt product has produced 50+ yards from scrimmage. So, does Conner have a shot at continuing that streak on Sunday? Well, it depends on which Cowboys defense show up.

Saquon Barkley was able to get there in Week 1, posting 63 yards from scrimmage. Jets running backs, meanwhile, combined for 24 rushing yards. They got up to 32 yards from scrimmage when receiving was added to the mix.

So, will Conner get there? We say yes. If Zona wants to stay in this game, one way to do so would be to keep the ball away from Dallas and control the clock. Hence, it makes sense that offensive coordinator Drew Petzinga will dial up a steady dose of Conner.

2. Zach Ertz will have the most catches of any player on the Cardinals or Cowboys

Through two games, one thing about the Cardinals offense has become evident: QB Josh Dobbs will look to TE Zach Ertz in any and all passing situations. After garnering 10 targets against Washington, Ertz was thrown to another eight times against the Giants.

Another element working in Ertz' favor here is the lack of wide receiver depth in Arizona. After Marquise Brown, there isn't much for defenses to be scared of. Brown will command most of the attention from Dallas' secondary, which will limit his impact. Ertz will be free to work the underneath and act as a safety valve for Dobbs, so while he might not get downfield much, he should stay busy catching the ball in the short and intermediate parts of the field.

Also, the Cardinals will also certainly be trailing for much of this game, and by necessity will have to throw more to try to catch up.

1. Cardinals don't allow a 100+ yard receiver

Ok, if you've read this far, you might be expecting this to be a “Cardinals defeat Cowboys” prediction. But we call these bold, not reckless. Too much would have to go right for the Cardinals (or more accurately, wrong for the Cowboys) for that to happen. So, let's end with this little bit of prognostication: no Dallas receiver will hit the century mark on Sunday.

This of course comes one week after CeeDee Lamb carved up what's regarded as a pretty good New York Jets defense. Lamb finished that game with 143 yards. Let the good times roll? Here's why maybe that's not what's in store for Week 3.

One factor working against Lamb repeating is Brandin Cooks' health. The veteran missed the Jets game, but is expected to suit up versus Arizona. With Lamb and Cooks in the lineup, these two might cannibalize targets from one another and limit each's ceiling.

But also, going back to that whole “the Cowboys should roll in this one” angle, if things go according to plan, Dallas will be playing with a lead. In that scenario, they won't want to continually expose QB Dak Prescott to unnecessary hits. Odds are the Cowboys won't need to sling the ball around the field much in the second half and can let their ground game close out the win.