In a pivotal Week 9 Monday Night Football showdown, the Arizona Cardinals opened with a statement. Josh Sweat delivered a perfectly timed fourth-down sack on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, stopping a red-zone threat and flipping momentum early at AT&T Stadium.

The play came with 10:32 left in the first quarter as the Cowboys attempted to convert on fourth-and-goal from the four-yard line. After driving 71 yards, the Cowboys found themselves just steps from the end zone. But the Cardinals defense held its ground.

The NFL took to its official X (formerly known as Twitter) showing the outside linebacker make the huge sack to force the turnover on downs and allow no points.

“Josh Sweat stuffs the opening drive by Dallas and Arizona takes over”

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The sack instantly energized the Cardinals sideline. Head coach Jonathan Gannon’s defensive scheme paid off, with Sweat’s quick edge burst beating right tackle Tyler Guyton. It was a high-reward gamble for the Cowboys that backfired — a failed conversion and a stop that shifted momentum.

Following the play, Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett led a balanced drive that ended in a 48-yard field goal by Chad Ryland, giving the team a 3–0 lead. Early in the second quarter, the Cardinals have extended that advantage to 10–0 — the result of a sequence that turned a likely seven-point deficit into full early control.

Later in the first quarter, Sweat nearly intercepted Prescott by batting down another pass, forcing a punt to preserve the lead — a clear showcase of his impact throughout the first half of NFL Monday Night Football.

Sweat now has six sacks on the year, tying him for fifth in the NFC. The transition to the Cardinals has revitalized his career while reinforcing the identity of an aggressive, bend-but-don’t-break Arizona defense.