That was a game no Arizona Cardinals fan will forget anytime soon.

The Cardinals won an absolute thriller in Dallas against the Cowboys, 33 to 30. This game had so many "wow" moments that it went to overtime, where Arizona completed their comeback with a walk-off field goal.

So, after a huge game like this, what are the main takeaways for the Cardinals?

Minshew Magic is Alive and Real

The Cardinals' offense struggled early in the game under quarterback Jacoby Brissett, putting up only three points. Late in the third quarter, the Cardinals brought in Gardner Minshew at quarterback and benched Brissett. The move worked out, as Minshew helped the Cardinals put up 30 points and ultimately a win in Dallas.

In the victory, the eighth-year veteran threw for 188 yards and three touchdowns, while completing 17 of 23 passes. Minshew threw many great passes, showing his quick release and decisive decision-making.

Minshew's best play came with the game on the line, throwing an absolute dime to wideout Michael Wilson in the end zone with six seconds left. Minshew’s touchdown pass knotted it up at 30-30 with Dallas, and while the Cardinals missed the point-after, Minshew's clutch throw forced overtime and led to the eventual win.

Like Brissett, Minshew's ability to extend the play out of structure is very limited, so Cardinals fans should not expect any Josh Allen- or Patrick Mahomes-like plays from Minshew. However, unlike Brissett, Minshew did a great job distributing the ball out and running the Cardinals offense smoothly.

Michael Wilson Reminds Everybody of Who He Is

At the end of the 2025 season, Michael Wilson was putting up some of the best numbers at wide receiver. During the last 8 games of 2025, Wilson had at least 80 yards in at least five of those games, and 100-plus yards in three.

However, before this game, Wilson was off to a quieter start in 2026. He only had two games above 80 yards and none above 100. However, Wilson put on a show against the Cowboys' defense. 

Wilson had 8 catches for 111 yards and one touchdown. Many of those catches were outside the numbers, which is a hard part of the field to catch passes in because there is little room for error. While the Cowboys' defense has plenty of issues, their defensive backs are one of the better position groups, with players like Joey Porter Jr. and Caleb Downs.

Minshew and Wilson's connection looked great and could be something very special.

The Cardinals' Trench Play was Much Better

The offensive line was very good, helping former Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier have a huge game. Allgeier ran for 147 yards on 11 carries, averaging a remarkable 13.4 yards per carry.

On the defensive line, they played very well. They got four sacks on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. While that isn't a huge amount of sacks, for a Cardinals defensive line that has been pretty bad at getting sacks, it was a solid outing against a good Cowboys offensive line.

One player who flashed was defensive tackle Roy Lopez. Lopez's stats weren't insane, as he got two tackles, but he showed great energy during certain moments in the game, making an impact far beyond the box score.

The Cardinals Had Their Fair Share of Bloopers

In any win, there are still things that a team can do better, and that could not be truer for Arizona in this game. They struggled in the red zone early on, especially running back Jeremiyah Love. Before he exited the game due to injury, Love wasn't the best, as he only ran for 23 yards.

The Cardinals also committed nine penalties for 77 yards. While yes, this is head coach Mike LaFleur's first year, this is Week 8 of the NFL season, so a lot of these mistakes should be ironed out by now. Unfortunately, they are still happening a lot.

Another staple of the LaFleur Cardinals has been slow starts, and today was no different. While this was a very fun comeback for the Cardinals, it is not a consistent winning formula in the league. 

Overall, this game perfectly sums up this Cardinals team. They are a fun young squad, which means they will have some lows and also a lot of highs.

Can the Cardinals build off it? Next week, the Cardinals travel to Seattle to take on the defending champion Seahawks.