Cowboys Lead the Cardinals 14-0 in the Second Quarter in Arlington After a Fumble Bounces Their Way

ARLINGTON - The Dallas Cowboys lead the Arizona Cardinals 14-0 in the second quarter at AT&T Stadium on Sunday, in a Week 8 game that turned on one of the strangest touchdowns of the season.

The sequence began on defense. After Arizona forced a three-and-out, Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett, pressured on third down, threw a pass that bounced off tight end Elijah Higgins and into the arms of Cowboys linebacker Shemar James, who returned the interception 33 yards to the Arizona five. Dallas nearly wasted it: Budda Baker met running back Javonte Williams at the two and forced a fumble - but the ball bounced into the end zone, where tight end James Mitchell, elevated from the practice squad on Saturday, recovered it for a touchdown, his first since 2022, and a 7-0 lead with 2:29 left in the first quarter.

Arizona's afternoon has been a study in near misses. The Cardinals were stopped on fourth-and-goal from inside the one - running back Jeremiyah Love stuffed short - making them 1 for their last 11 trips in the red zone, according to Cards Wire's live account. Love, back after missing two games with a left ankle sprain, then left the game at the end of the first quarter after his right foot was twisted in a tackle; he had carried nine times for 23 yards, jogged to the sideline and threw his helmet after a visit with trainers.

Dallas added a second-quarter touchdown to reach 14-0, per the live quarter-by-quarter tables read at staging. The Cowboys, 3-4, stopped a two-game losing streak in Week 7 with a 38-21 Monday night win at Philadelphia; the Cardinals arrived at 2-5. The game is airing on FOX, and the final files in tonight's game-night cycles.