Dallas Cowboys Beat Cardinals 27-13 in NFL Preseason Week 2 as Joe Milton Throws Two TDs and Rushes for Another

On Saturday, August 22, 2026, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Arizona Cardinals 27-13 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, in NFL Preseason Week 2 — a road win built on backup quarterback Joe Milton III’s standout first half, in which he threw two touchdown passes and added a rushing score while Dak Prescott and most starters watched from the sideline. Milton finished 9-of-13 for 179 yards and two passing touchdowns without an interception through his primary action, including a 53-yard connection to Jonathan Mingo that highlighted Dallas’s depth behind Prescott.

Kickoff was 9:00 p.m. CT (10:00 p.m. ET) on NFL Network. The Cowboys improved to 2-0 in exhibition play after opening the preseason with a win over Seattle; the Cardinals fell to 1-1 after beating Kansas City in Week 1. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer had said Dallas’s starters would not play in the preseason, and Mike LaFleur’s Arizona side leaned on backups as well with Gardner Minshew II opening at quarterback for the home team.

Editor’s note: This article draws on game data and reporting from ESPN, CBS Sports, FOX Sports, Bleacher Report, ClutchPoints, Dallas Cowboys.com, and Yahoo Sports, August 19–22, 2026.

Game at a glance

Detail	Information
Date	Saturday, August 22, 2026
Venue	State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
Week	NFL Preseason Week 2
Kickoff	9:00 p.m. CT / 10:00 p.m. ET
National TV	NFL Network
Final score	Cowboys 27, Cardinals 13
Quarter lines	DAL 14-10-3-0, ARI 0-6-7-0
Records	Cowboys 2-0 (1-0 away); Cardinals 1-1 (0-1 home)

How the scoring unfolded

Dallas seized control early. Milton directed a scoring drive that ended with an 8-yard touchdown pass to running back Malik Davis, and Brandon Aubrey’s extra point gave the Cowboys a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.

Milton struck again before the opening frame closed. He launched a 53-yard touchdown pass to Jonathan Mingo, extending the advantage to 14-0 — the kind of vertical throw that drew immediate attention from analysts tracking the backup quarterback race behind Prescott.

The Cowboys added a third first-half touchdown on their third series when Milton found Camden Brown for a 70-yard gain to set up short-yardage work. Milton finished the drive himself with a 1-yard rushing touchdown, and Aubrey’s kick pushed Dallas to 21-0 before Arizona answered.

Minshew led the Cardinals into field-goal range in the second quarter, highlighted by a 37-yard completion to Simi Fehoko. Chad Ryland converted a 31-yard field goal to make it 21-3. On Arizona’s next possession, Minshew was sacked at the Dallas 13-yard line on third down, and Ryland added a 50-yard field goal as the half wound down. Dallas carried a 24-6 lead into the locker room after Aubrey drilled a 29-yard field goal late in the second quarter.

The Cardinals finally reached the end zone in the third quarter when running back Corey Kiner scored on a short rush, and Ryland’s extra point trimmed the deficit to 27-13. Neither team added points in the fourth quarter.

Quarter	Notable scoring	Score
1st	Davis 8-yd pass from Milton (Aubrey kick); Mingo 53-yd pass from Milton (Aubrey kick)	14-0
2nd	Milton 1-yd rush (Aubrey kick); Ryland 31-yd FG; Aubrey 29-yd FG; Ryland 50-yd FG	24-6
3rd	Aubrey 29-yd FG; Kiner 7-yd rush (Ryland kick)	27-13
4th	No scoring	27-13

Joe Milton’s first-half showcase

Milton entered 2026 as Dallas’s backup behind Prescott after spending his first two NFL seasons with New England and Dallas. Saturday night offered his clearest preseason platform yet.

Through his primary first-half action, Milton was 9-of-13 for 179 yards with two passing touchdowns and a 151.4 passer rating. He added three carries for two yards and a rushing touchdown, giving him three total scores before the rotation widened. Camden Brown caught two passes for 77 yards, Mingo had two catches for 62 yards and a score, and Davis contributed one catch for eight yards and a touchdown.

Sam Howell, competing with Milton for the No. 2 job, entered later and went 2-of-2 for 20 yards without a turnover despite taking a sack. Combined, Dallas quarterbacks finished 11-of-15 for 193 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions.

For Schottenheimer, Milton’s efficiency and explosive plays checked boxes in a preseason where Prescott has not taken a snap — a continuation of Dallas’s approach under the new coaching staff. One exhibition night does not settle a backup competition, but Milton’s 53-yard bomb to Mingo and his red-zone rushing score gave the Cowboys tangible highlights on a national broadcast.

Gardner Minshew and Arizona’s offensive struggles

Minshew opened for the Cardinals after throwing two touchdowns in his first preseason outing for Arizona. Saturday was far less productive.

Minshew finished 19-of-23 for 177 yards with no touchdowns and one interception, sacked once for eight yards. He led two field-goal drives in the second quarter but could not finish a touchdown march — the sack at the Dallas 13 forced Ryland into a long field goal, and Arizona never seriously threatened a comeback once Kiner’s third-quarter score made it 27-13.

Kedon Slovis added 2-of-3 passing for 30 yards in relief. The Cardinals spread the ball in the passing game — Simi Fehoko led with two catches for 42 yards, and Trey McBride had five receptions for 39 yards — but Minshew’s interception to Shavon Revel Jr., returned 22 yards, underscored a night when Arizona moved the ball without converting enough points.

Minshew is competing with rookie Carson Beck for the backup role behind Jacoby Brissett, who saw limited action in Week 1. LaFleur’s first preseason as Arizona’s head coach has emphasized evaluating depth behind a starting quarterback who played one series in the opener against Kansas City. Minshew’s two-touchdown debut gave him an early edge; a turnover-free but scoreless passing night against Dallas reopened questions about who will hold the No. 2 spot when the regular season arrives.

Defense, special teams, and the running game

Dallas’s defense held Arizona to 13 points and recorded the game’s lone interception. Revel’s pick in the third quarter gave the Cowboys a short field that helped set up Aubrey’s 29-yard field goal.

On the ground, Jaydon Blue led Dallas with 15 carries for 75 yards. Malik Davis added five carries for 29 yards and caught Milton’s first touchdown. Kiner paced Arizona with 10 carries for 29 yards and the Cardinals’ only touchdown.

Aubrey was perfect on 3-of-3 extra points and 2-of-2 field goals, including a 50-yard attempt. Ryland went 2-of-3 on field goals with a long of 50 yards and 1-of-1 on extra points.

Injury concern for Arizona’s secondary

Midway through the game, Cardinals safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson left after a hard hit and was evaluated, per ClutchPoints and in-stadium reports. The team did not immediately disclose the severity of the injury. Taylor-Demerson’s status will bear watching as Arizona prepares for Preseason Week 3 at Green Bay on Friday, August 28.

Context and what comes next

Preseason results do not carry into September, but Saturday offered both franchises meaningful evaluation tape before roster cuts accelerate.

For the Cowboys, a second straight exhibition win — and a road performance where Milton supplied three first-half touchdowns — reinforced optimism about depth behind Prescott. Schottenheimer’s decision to keep starters on the sideline has made the backup quarterback battle the central preseason storyline, and Milton delivered the kind of highlight tape that forces staff to take notice.

For the Cardinals, the loss at home snapped a Week 1 win over Kansas City and exposed finishing issues in Minshew’s second outing. LaFleur’s rebuild after a 3-14 2025 season needs backup-quarterback clarity and healthier depth in the secondary if Taylor-Demerson misses time.

Dallas closes its exhibition schedule Friday, August 28, hosting New Orleans at AT&T Stadium. Arizona travels to Green Bay the same night. Both teams face final roster reductions before the 2026 regular season opens in September — and they meet again in Week 8 of the regular season, a rematch LaFleur and Schottenheimer likely kept vanilla on Saturday night.

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Discussion

Saturday in Glendale was Milton’s night and Minshew’s frustration as much as the final score.

1. Milton threw for 179 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for another score, and hit Mingo for 53 yards in the first half while Prescott watched. Does that performance settle the backup job over Sam Howell — or does one preseason half still leave room for debate before Friday’s finale against the Saints?

Howell was clean in limited action, but Milton supplied the highlights Dallas will rewatch when roster decisions loom.

2. Minshew went without a touchdown pass and threw an interception after a two-TD debut in Week 1. With Carson Beck still in the mix behind Brissett, did Saturday raise real questions about Arizona’s QB2 pecking order — or is one uneven road half too little to overturn a strong opener?

Share whether Milton’s breakout or Minshew’s stall told you more about either team’s September depth chart.

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