Cardinals vs. Cowboys facts: Stats, connections, history and milestones

A matchup with a long-time rival and fellow NFC division leader awaits the 6-1 Cardinals this week as they travel to AT&T Stadium to meet the 6-2 Dallas Cowboys. Arizona enters the game with the best record in the NFC.

The Cardinals and Cowboys were NFC East rivals from 1970-2001, meeting twice a year every season in that span except in 1982. This will mark the 87th all-time regular season game between the two teams, but it will be Arizona's
first visit to AT&T Stadium since it opened in 2009.

Here are some game facts:

Stats:

The Cardinals rank 15th in the league in scoring, averaging 23.4 points a game. Dallas is eighth at 26.6.

Arizona gives up 19.9 points per game, which is good for fifth in the league, while Dallas averaged exactly one point higher, which is ninth.

Arizona gains a little over 329 yards per game. That ranks 25th overall. Dallas gains over 400, which is fourth in the league. Arizona's rushing attack is 28th in the league with less than 89 yards per contest. Dallas is number one, averaging over 160 yards on the ground. In the passing game, they are 15th and 16th, respectively.

Defensively, Arizona is third in the league against the run, allowing only 77.9 yards per game. Dallas gives up almost 115, good for 19th. Arizona is last against the pass, giving up almost 303 yards, which Dallas is 15th, allowing over 237 yards.

Arizona is +9 in turnover ratio. Dallas is -2.

History:

Dallas holds an all-time 55-30-1 advantage over the Cardinals. Arizona is only 9-32 on the road against Dallas. The Cardinals have won the last three contests against one another, the last one being in 2011, a 19-13 overtime win in which LaRod Stephens-Howling took a screen pass over 50 yards for the score in overtime.

It is the first time on the road in Dallas since 2005.

Connections:

There are no players on either team's active roster that have played for the other. That's weird. On the Dallas practice squad are former Cardinals running back Ryan Williams and former Cardinals (and ASU) receiver Kerry Taylor.

Milestones:

If kicker Chandler Catanzaro hits his first two field goal attempts, he will establish a new record for consecutively made field goals to start a career with 18.

The next touchdown catch Larry Fitzgerald gets will be the 90th of his career. With 95 receiving yards, he would pass Hall of Famer and Cowboys great Michael Irvin on the all-time list.

If Carson Palmer throws two touchdown passes, he would have done so in six straight games. That has only been done three other times in team history.