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The Arizona Cardinals (6-1) head to Jerry’s World to meet the Dallas Cowboys (6-2) Sunday at 1 pm ET. This will feature a matchup of division leaders and potential Super Bowl contenders. This could be the game of the week, better yet, the game of the year! Here’s five things you need to know for Sunday.

5. Injuries

Cowboys

Quarterback Tony Romo suffered a back injury Monday when he was hit in the same area where he underwent surgery to repair a herniated disk this offseason. He briefly left the game but returned in overtime only as the Cowboys were defeated by the Washington Redskins. An MRI revealed that the injury seems to be just a deep bruise and separate from the injury that resulted in surgery. Romo will be a game-time decision for Sunday’s game and if he can deal with the pain, I expect him to go. If he can’t, backup quarterback Brandon Weeden will get the nod.

On the other side of the ball, the Cowboys lost starting linebacker Justin Durant to season-ending injured reserve with a torn right bicep Monday. He led the team with 49 tackles. The Cowboys already lost LB Sean Lee in the offseason to an ACL injury. Questions loom for the Cowboys on the defense side of the ball.

Cardinals

Shutdown cornerback Patrick Peterson suffered a concussion when he collided with Jeremy Maclin of the Eagles last week. Peterson clearly suffered the worst of the hit as he left the game while Maclin torched the rest of the secondary in his absence. With that being said, Peterson returned to practice on Wednesday and is expected to play on Sunday. He will matchup with Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant in a battle of two absolute studs.

4. Fitz has still got it

Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals scored on an 80-yard catch and run last Sunday showing a burst of speed to find the end zone. Anyone who doubts that he can still get it done at age 31 are eating their words after watching his 7/160/1 performance against the Eagles this past weekend.

3. Carson Palmer is FOR REAL

Quarterback Carson Palmer of the Arizona Cardinals has thrown for eight touchdowns and just one interception in four games this season. He delivered an absolute dime to WR John Brown for the game winning score against the Eagles last week. The 12th year man has a QBR of 98.3 this season. Palmer looks to torch a Cowboys defense that is riddled with injuries.

2. DeMarco Murray & Andre Ellington will touch the rock 20+ times

The Cowboys’ DeMarco Murray leads the NFL in rushing with 1,054 yards in just eight games. He is averaging 25.7 attempts per game and also has 26 receptions out of the backfield. Murray is on pace to run the ball 412 times. The possible matchup to watch is Murray against this Cardinals defense who has been stifling against the run all year.

The Cardinals’ Andre Ellington is averaging 18.7 rushing attempts per game but also is providing in the passing game. He has 28 receptions for 274 yards and a touchdown. Ellington has been limited in practice all year with a foot injury, but that hasn't hindered his game performance. Look for Ellington to run all over the dinged up Cowboys defense.

1. Betting Line: Cowboys -4

Vegas has the Cowboys favored by 4. This will likely fluctuate heading into game-time as Romo’s status becomes more certain. The Cardinals have been consistent all year as they are 6-1 SU and 5-2 ATS. I’m taking the Cardinals to win straight up here even if Romo plays. The Cowboys have fooled everyone so far this season. But on this Halloween weekend, even a costume can’t disguise who the Cowboys really are: PRETENDERS.

Prediction: 27-17 Cardinals

Comment below and tell me what YOU think is going to happen Cowboys fans. I know you’re disagreeing with me somewhere!

The Arizona Cardinals (6-1) head to Jerry’s World to meet the Dallas Cowboys (6-2) Sunday at 1 pm ET. This will feature a matchup of division leaders and potential Super Bowl contenders. This could be the game of the week, better yet, the game of the year! Here’s five things you need to know for Sunday.

5. Injuries

Cowboys

Quarterback Tony Romo suffered a back injury Monday when he was hit in the same area where he underwent surgery to repair a herniated disk this offseason. He briefly left the game but returned in overtime only as the Cowboys were defeated by the Washington Redskins. An MRI revealed that the injury seems to be just a deep bruise and separate from the injury that resulted in surgery. Romo will be a game-time decision for Sunday’s game and if he can deal with the pain, I expect him to go. If he can’t, backup quarterback Brandon Weeden will get the nod.

On the other side of the ball, the Cowboys lost starting linebacker Justin Durant to season-ending injured reserve with a torn right bicep Monday. He led the team with 49 tackles. The Cowboys already lost LB Sean Lee in the offseason to an ACL injury. Questions loom for the Cowboys on the defense side of the ball.

Cardinals

Shutdown cornerback Patrick Peterson suffered a concussion when he collided with Jeremy Maclin of the Eagles last week. Peterson clearly suffered the worst of the hit as he left the game while Maclin torched the rest of the secondary in his absence. With that being said, Peterson returned to practice on Wednesday and is expected to play on Sunday. He will matchup with Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant in a battle of two absolute studs.

4. Fitz has still got it

Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals scored on an 80-yard catch and run last Sunday showing a burst of speed to find the end zone. Anyone who doubts that he can still get it done at age 31 are eating their words after watching his 7/160/1 performance against the Eagles this past weekend.

3. Carson Palmer is FOR REAL

Quarterback Carson Palmer of the Arizona Cardinals has thrown for eight touchdowns and just one interception in four games this season. He delivered an absolute dime to WR John Brown for the game winning score against the Eagles last week. The 12th year man has a QBR of 98.3 this season. Palmer looks to torch a Cowboys defense that is riddled with injuries.

2. DeMarco Murray & Andre Ellington will touch the rock 20+ times

The Cowboys’ DeMarco Murray leads the NFL in rushing with 1,054 yards in just eight games. He is averaging 25.7 attempts per game and also has 26 receptions out of the backfield. Murray is on pace to run the ball 412 times. The possible matchup to watch is Murray against this Cardinals defense who has been stifling against the run all year.

The Cardinals’ Andre Ellington is averaging 18.7 rushing attempts per game but also is providing in the passing game. He has 28 receptions for 274 yards and a touchdown. Ellington has been limited in practice all year with a foot injury, but that hasn't hindered his game performance. Look for Ellington to run all over the dinged up Cowboys defense.

1. Betting Line: Cowboys -4

Vegas has the Cowboys favored by 4. This will likely fluctuate heading into game-time as Romo’s status becomes more certain. The Cardinals have been consistent all year as they are 6-1 SU and 5-2 ATS. I’m taking the Cardinals to win straight up here even if Romo plays. The Cowboys have fooled everyone so far this season. But on this Halloween weekend, even a costume can’t disguise who the Cowboys really are: PRETENDERS.

Prediction: 27-17 Cardinals

Comment below and tell me what YOU think is going to happen Cowboys fans. I know you’re disagreeing with me somewhere!

In a nail-biter, the Arizona Cardinals held on to beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-20; extending the Cardinals' record to 6-1 and keeping them atop the NFC West (by two games over the 49ers and Seahawks). The Eagles drop to 5-2 and remain behind the Cowboys in the NFC east who host the Redskins Monday night. 

It was most certainly an air campaign today with Nick Foles completing a career-high 36 passes out of a whopping 62 attempts for 411 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. WR Jeremy Maclin caught 12 of those balls for an impressive 187 yards and both scores, the second one coming after a terrible helmet-to-helmet collision with Arizona CB Patrick Peterson; the latter would not return after sustaining a concussion. RB LeSean McCoy managed 83 yards on 21 carries.

On the other side, Carson Palmer was 20-of-42 for 329 yards and two touchdowns. WR extraordinaire Larry Fitzgerald caught seven passes for 160 yards and a career-best 80-yard touchdown (really only a short pass with the rest all Fitz). Rookie WR John Brown caught what turned out to be the game-winning 75-yard touchdown reception on a third-and-five with 1:23 left in the game. RB Andre Ellington scored the other touchdown on his 23 carries for 71 yards. 

Of interest, neither quarterback was sacked today.

So, what'd we learn? 

1. Rookies are sure strutting their stuff this season. As mentioned, Brown snagged the game-winning touchdown while Cardinals' rookie S Deone Bucannon brilliantly broke up a deep pass from Foles to TE Zach Ertz with :07 left in the game. Both teams' rookie kickers did well too. Arizona's Chandler Catanzaro hit his three extra points and nailed a 28-yard field goal, his 16th consecutive since he entered the league. Philadelphia's Cody Parkey went two-for-two on field goals including an NFL career-long (eight-game career, I know, but still) 54 yarder and was successful on both extra points.

2. Of particular note were the ridiculous penalties in this game. Philadelphia was dinged 11 times for 103 yards while Arizona was punished 10 times for 95 yards; a mere five penalties shy of the current record for most penalties in a game (26) which occurred in the 9/14/2014 match-up between the Bears and the 49ers.

3. Coming into today's game the Cardinals' defense was ranked first versus the run; holding opponents to, on average, 72 yards per game this season. Today it gave up 110 net yards rushing. Arizona's defense also entered today's match-up with the fewest missed tackles in the league but bungled quite a few today. Neverthless, the Cardinals' defense is still something. CB Antonio Cromartie picked off Foles twice--extending Arizona's consecutive-games-with-a-takeaway record to 19--and, after allowing the Eagles to march down the field in the final minute of the game, managed to sustain the lead and get the win. 

Next week, the 6-1 Cardinals travel to the (currently) 6-1 Cowboys while the 5-2 Eagles visit the 4-4 Texans who snapped a three-game skid in Tennessee on Sunday thanks to RB Arian Foster's three scores.

In a nail-biter, the Arizona Cardinals held on to beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-20; extending the Cardinals' record to 6-1 and keeping them atop the NFC West (by two games over the 49ers and Seahawks). The Eagles drop to 5-2 and remain behind the Cowboys in the NFC east who host the Redskins Monday night. 

It was most certainly an air campaign today with Nick Foles completing a career-high 36 passes out of a whopping 62 attempts for 411 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. WR Jeremy Maclin caught 12 of those balls for an impressive 187 yards and both scores, the second one coming after a terrible helmet-to-helmet collision with Arizona CB Patrick Peterson; the latter would not return after sustaining a concussion. RB LeSean McCoy managed 83 yards on 21 carries.

On the other side, Carson Palmer was 20-of-42 for 329 yards and two touchdowns. WR extraordinaire Larry Fitzgerald caught seven passes for 160 yards and a career-best 80-yard touchdown (really only a short pass with the rest all Fitz). Rookie WR John Brown caught what turned out to be the game-winning 75-yard touchdown reception on a third-and-five with 1:23 left in the game. RB Andre Ellington scored the other touchdown on his 23 carries for 71 yards. 

Of interest, neither quarterback was sacked today.

So, what'd we learn? 

1. Rookies are sure strutting their stuff this season. As mentioned, Brown snagged the game-winning touchdown while Cardinals' rookie S Deone Bucannon brilliantly broke up a deep pass from Foles to TE Zach Ertz with :07 left in the game. Both teams' rookie kickers did well too. Arizona's Chandler Catanzaro hit his three extra points and nailed a 28-yard field goal, his 16th consecutive since he entered the league. Philadelphia's Cody Parkey went two-for-two on field goals including an NFL career-long (eight-game career, I know, but still) 54 yarder and was successful on both extra points.

2. Of particular note were the ridiculous penalties in this game. Philadelphia was dinged 11 times for 103 yards while Arizona was punished 10 times for 95 yards; a mere five penalties shy of the current record for most penalties in a game (26) which occurred in the 9/14/2014 match-up between the Bears and the 49ers.

3. Coming into today's game the Cardinals' defense was ranked first versus the run; holding opponents to, on average, 72 yards per game this season. Today it gave up 110 net yards rushing. Arizona's defense also entered today's match-up with the fewest missed tackles in the league but bungled quite a few today. Neverthless, the Cardinals' defense is still something. CB Antonio Cromartie picked off Foles twice--extending Arizona's consecutive-games-with-a-takeaway record to 19--and, after allowing the Eagles to march down the field in the final minute of the game, managed to sustain the lead and get the win. 

Next week, the 6-1 Cardinals travel to the (currently) 6-1 Cowboys while the 5-2 Eagles visit the 4-4 Texans who snapped a three-game skid in Tennessee on Sunday thanks to RB Arian Foster's three scores.

The battle in the desert turned into a one sided affair as the Arizona State Sun Devils shut down the Stanford Cardinal, 26-10.

The Sun Devils had lost to the Cardinal in their previous five meetings, and not one player on the Arizona State roster had ever experienced a win over the Stanford Cardinal. 

Arizona State came out strong, and controlled the clock from the opening whistle.  Stanford just never seemed to be in sync the entire game as Arizona State dominated the line of scrimmage. 

Sun Devils Head Coach Todd Graham had a quandary before the game, as experienced Quarterback Taylor Kelly was able to play after being injured the past few weeks, but decided to go with the hot hand of Junior Mike Bercovici.  This paid off for Arizona State as Bercovici made all the right plays, and led the Sun Devils to victory.

Here was the Good, Bad, and Ugly of the game:

The Good 

Mike Bercovici – The back-up Quarterback played a phenomenal game on Saturday night as he made all of the right plays to keep the tough Stanford defense off balance, and led the Sun Devils to victory.  Bercovici did not have the biggest statistical night, but when a first down was needed, it just seemed the Bercovici was always able to get that extra distance to keep the drive alive.  Bercovici has played extremely well in place of Taylor Kelly, and some are even starting to point towards a Quarterback controversy over who may be the best option under center for ASU.

DJ Foster – Junior Running Back DJ Foster was a dominant force on offense for the Sun Devils as he was all over the field on Saturday night.  Foster had 151 yards from scrimmage, and caused a constant headache for the Stanford defense.  Foster was coming off a few weeks were he was never able to gain much yardage, but under the bright lights in Tempe, the cream rose to the top.  Foster has tremendous skills, and has the ability to take over any game.  Look for Foster to be a major piece for the Sun Devils as they drive towards a possible PAC 12 title game.

Blake Martinez – The only bright spot for the Cardinal on Saturday night was the strong play of Junior Linebacker Blake Martinez.  As a native son of Arizona, Martinez was riled up to play against the Sun Devils who did not recruit him out of high school.  Martinez had a sack and was in on several tackles to lead the Cardinal on the defensive side of the ball. 

Arizona State Front Seven – The College Football world has been raving about the front seven of the Stanford Cardinal, but tonight that designation belonged to the Arizona State Sun Devils.  The defensive front of the Sun Devils dominated the line of scrimmage and held the Cardinal to a season low 76 yards rushing. 

The Bad

Stanford Offensive Strategy – Stanford Head Coach David Shaw has always been known to employ a conservative offensive approach, but this week was beyond conservative and it cost the Cardinal.  Stanford does not hide the fact that they have a run first approach, but this year, Stanford does not have a “Bell Cow” Running Back that can just take over a game.  This is a major hindrance for the Cardinal, as Quarterback Kevin Hogan just does not have the ability to take over a game with his arm.  Stanford did have several injuries going into the game, but that does not excuse the poor play on the offensive side of the ball.

Stanford’s Running Back Blocking Issues – Again, Stanford had major issues with its Running Backs picking up the blitz on Saturday evening.  Three separate times, Quarterback Kevin Hogan was on his back because the Running Back could not pick up the blitzing defender.  This issue caused the Cardinal to be moved out of scoring range twice, and the third time just killed a promising drive.  Last week, Coach Shaw stated that there was a focus on the blitz pick up in practice, but was soon forgotten this week. 

The Ugly

Stanford Special Teams Turnovers – The strength of the Stanford Cardinal turned into a negative for the team as return men Ty Montgomery and Christian McCaffrey both fumbled the ball on key returns.  Montgomery just seemed to be in a funk the entire game, and his fumble on the 10-yard line put the Cardinal down two scores late in the first half, and the Sun Devils never looked back.  The Sun Devils were known to have the worst special teams coverage in the PAC 12, but dominated tonight, and were a key factor for the Arizona State victory. 

The battle in the desert turned into a one sided affair as the Arizona State Sun Devils shut down the Stanford Cardinal, 26-10.

The Sun Devils had lost to the Cardinal in their previous five meetings, and not one player on the Arizona State roster had ever experienced a win over the Stanford Cardinal. 

Arizona State came out strong, and controlled the clock from the opening whistle.  Stanford just never seemed to be in sync the entire game as Arizona State dominated the line of scrimmage. 

Sun Devils Head Coach Todd Graham had a quandary before the game, as experienced Quarterback Taylor Kelly was able to play after being injured the past few weeks, but decided to go with the hot hand of Junior Mike Bercovici.  This paid off for Arizona State as Bercovici made all the right plays, and led the Sun Devils to victory.

Here was the Good, Bad, and Ugly of the game:

The Good 

Mike Bercovici – The back-up Quarterback played a phenomenal game on Saturday night as he made all of the right plays to keep the tough Stanford defense off balance, and led the Sun Devils to victory.  Bercovici did not have the biggest statistical night, but when a first down was needed, it just seemed the Bercovici was always able to get that extra distance to keep the drive alive.  Bercovici has played extremely well in place of Taylor Kelly, and some are even starting to point towards a Quarterback controversy over who may be the best option under center for ASU.

DJ Foster – Junior Running Back DJ Foster was a dominant force on offense for the Sun Devils as he was all over the field on Saturday night.  Foster had 151 yards from scrimmage, and caused a constant headache for the Stanford defense.  Foster was coming off a few weeks were he was never able to gain much yardage, but under the bright lights in Tempe, the cream rose to the top.  Foster has tremendous skills, and has the ability to take over any game.  Look for Foster to be a major piece for the Sun Devils as they drive towards a possible PAC 12 title game.

Blake Martinez – The only bright spot for the Cardinal on Saturday night was the strong play of Junior Linebacker Blake Martinez.  As a native son of Arizona, Martinez was riled up to play against the Sun Devils who did not recruit him out of high school.  Martinez had a sack and was in on several tackles to lead the Cardinal on the defensive side of the ball. 

Arizona State Front Seven – The College Football world has been raving about the front seven of the Stanford Cardinal, but tonight that designation belonged to the Arizona State Sun Devils.  The defensive front of the Sun Devils dominated the line of scrimmage and held the Cardinal to a season low 76 yards rushing. 

The Bad

Stanford Offensive Strategy – Stanford Head Coach David Shaw has always been known to employ a conservative offensive approach, but this week was beyond conservative and it cost the Cardinal.  Stanford does not hide the fact that they have a run first approach, but this year, Stanford does not have a “Bell Cow” Running Back that can just take over a game.  This is a major hindrance for the Cardinal, as Quarterback Kevin Hogan just does not have the ability to take over a game with his arm.  Stanford did have several injuries going into the game, but that does not excuse the poor play on the offensive side of the ball.

Stanford’s Running Back Blocking Issues – Again, Stanford had major issues with its Running Backs picking up the blitz on Saturday evening.  Three separate times, Quarterback Kevin Hogan was on his back because the Running Back could not pick up the blitzing defender.  This issue caused the Cardinal to be moved out of scoring range twice, and the third time just killed a promising drive.  Last week, Coach Shaw stated that there was a focus on the blitz pick up in practice, but was soon forgotten this week. 

The Ugly

Stanford Special Teams Turnovers – The strength of the Stanford Cardinal turned into a negative for the team as return men Ty Montgomery and Christian McCaffrey both fumbled the ball on key returns.  Montgomery just seemed to be in a funk the entire game, and his fumble on the 10-yard line put the Cardinal down two scores late in the first half, and the Sun Devils never looked back.  The Sun Devils were known to have the worst special teams coverage in the PAC 12, but dominated tonight, and were a key factor for the Arizona State victory. 

On Saturday night, the battle between the 17^th ranked Arizona State Sun Devils and the 23^rd ranked Stanford Cardinal will be an old school, knock down brawl between two powerful programs out west.

The game is a rematch from the 2013 PAC 12 Championship game where Stanford prevailed on the home turf of the Sun Devils 42-28, and earned their 2^nd consecutive Rose Bowl bid.

Not much as changed this season, as both programs are playing at a high level and are looking to continue on their paths towards another chance at a PAC 12 title game.  Stanford has the top defense in the country, and the Sun Devils still can move the ball on offense at a high success rate.  This will be a war of contrasting styles, and should be one of the more entertaining games to watch on Saturday.

Here are the five things to watch:

Sun Devils QB Quandary:  Arizona State Head Coach Todd Graham has intimated that he plans on using a two Quarterback system with Junior Mike Bercovici getting the bulk of the snaps.  Bercovici deserves the right to get the chance to start after his outstanding performance last week by leading the Sun Devils over the USC Trojans. Bercovici threw for over 510 yards and five scores this past weekend, and Coach Graham was highly impressed with Bercovici’s poise under the bright lights.  This will be a huge test for Bercovici as Stanford has been dominant to start the season on the defensive side of the ball, led by Free Safety Zach Hoffpauir.

Arizona State Offensive Line versus the Stanford “Front Seven”:  Last week, the offensive line for the Sun Devils played their best game of the season against a USC Trojans defensive front that included All American Defensive End Leonard Williams.  This week, the Sun Devils will have a major test in trying to contain the front seven of the Stanford Cardinal as Senior Nose Tackle David Parry, and Senior Defensive End Henry Anderson have be spectacular so far this season.  The Sun Devils will be in for a fight this weekend, and if they are able to keep their young Quarterback upright, they will have a chance at victory.

Stanford Red Zone Issues:  To say that the Stanford Cardinal are having issues in the Red Zone is an understatement.  The Cardinal rank in the bottom 10% in Red Zone efficiency, and this inefficiency has cost the Cardinal two victories that were well within their grasp.  Stanford needs to clean this up if they are to have any chance against a young and hungry Sun Devils squad.

Special Teams may determine the game:  The Stanford Cardinal has one of the most exciting return men in the game with Senior Ty Montgomery.  Montgomery can break open the game with the ball in his hands, and can easily be a difference maker.  The Sun Devils will have to be well aware of any time that Montgomery is on the field as he has the ability to take it to the end zone at a moment’s notice.  The Sun Devils have not been successful at containing return men to start off the season, and will be tasked with containing one of the best in the nation. 

Coaching:  Arizona State Head Coach Todd Graham and Stanford Coach David Shaw have contrasting coaching styles to say the least.  Coach David Shaw has been known to be reserved on the sideline, and exhibits few instances of high emotion, while Coach Graham is highly energetic, and known to do whatever it takes to fire up his team.  Both coaches however are the same as they emphasize the fundamentals of the game, and to be disciplined on the field.  This year has been uncharacteristic of a David Shaw led team, as they have been penalized more this year than almost all of last year, and Shaw takes the blame.  Shaw has been adamant recently in practice about getting back to the basics, and being smart on the field.  Coach Graham has had to deal with injuries to his top Quarterback, but has kept his team focused and playing at a top level.  One thing is for certain, both coaches will have their teams prepared for the battle in Tempe. 

The Denver Broncos were hoping to rebound from a big loss in week 3 to the Seattle Seahawks on the road, where they used their defense to hold close to the Hawks until they broke through in overtime.  After having a bye in week 4 that gave them a chance to get healthy and evaluate several players for their health, the Broncos wanted to get off to a huge start with several huge games forthcoming.  Facing them at home was the Arizona Cardinals, a 10 win team from 2013 that had been very solid to start 2014 but they were searching for consistency on both sides of the ball. With regular starting quarterback Carson Palmer out with an injury, the Cardinals were hoping that backup Drew Stanton would be able to provide some leadership and fireworks for the visitors.  Unfortunately, the only explosives for the Cardinals came from converting two drives off Denver turnovers and a long pass play from third string quarterback Logan Thomas to running back Andre Ellington, but it wasn’t nearly enough for the Cardinals to stay in this one. Denver quarterback Peyton Manning ended the day with 479 yards passing and four touchdowns to go over the 500 career touchdown pass mark as the Broncos clipped the Cardinals 41 to 20 in a game that ended up being closer than the final score might indicate. Here are three things we learned after watching this one from Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium on a warm, sunny day from the Mile High City.

The Denver Broncos were hoping to rebound from a big loss in week 3 to the Seattle Seahawks on the road, where they used their defense to hold close to the Hawks until they broke through in overtime.  After having a bye in week 4 that gave them a chance to get healthy and evaluate several players for their health, the Broncos wanted to get off to a huge start with several huge games forthcoming.  Facing them at home was the Arizona Cardinals, a 10 win team from 2013 that had been very solid to start 2014 but they were searching for consistency on both sides of the ball. With regular starting quarterback Carson Palmer out with an injury, the Cardinals were hoping that backup Drew Stanton would be able to provide some leadership and fireworks for the visitors.  Unfortunately, the only explosives for the Cardinals came from converting two drives off Denver turnovers and a long pass play from third string quarterback Logan Thomas to running back Andre Ellington, but it wasn’t nearly enough for the Cardinals to stay in this one. Denver quarterback Peyton Manning ended the day with 479 yards passing and four touchdowns to go over the 500 career touchdown pass mark as the Broncos clipped the Cardinals 41 to 20 in a game that ended up being closer than the final score might indicate. Here are three things we learned after watching this one from Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium on a warm, sunny day from the Mile High City.

The Denver Broncos were hoping to rebound from a big loss in week 3 to the Seattle Seahawks on the road, where they used their defense to hold close to the Hawks until they broke through in overtime.  After having a bye in week 4 that gave them a chance to get healthy and evaluate several players for their health, the Broncos wanted to get off to a huge start with several huge games forthcoming.  Facing them at home was the Arizona Cardinals, a 10 win team from 2013 that had been very solid to start 2014 but they were searching for consistency on both sides of the ball. With regular starting quarterback Carson Palmer out with an injury, the Cardinals were hoping that backup Drew Stanton would be able to provide some leadership and fireworks for the visitors.  Unfortunately, the only explosives for the Cardinals came from converting two drives off Denver turnovers and a long pass play from third string quarterback Logan Thomas to running back Andre Ellington, but it wasn’t nearly enough for the Cardinals to stay in this one. Denver quarterback Peyton Manning ended the day with 479 yards passing and four touchdowns to go over the 500 career touchdown pass mark as the Broncos clipped the Cardinals 41 to 20 in a game that ended up being closer than the final score might indicate. Here are three things we learned after watching this one from Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium on a warm, sunny day from the Mile High City.

Do you play Fantasy Football? If the answer is yes, this week is the most exciting opportunity in the history of the game. Win a MILLION DOLLARS playing Fantasy Football this week only! Go to www.FFChamps.com/million and get in on the action. 

Carson Palmer visited a spine specialist on Wednesday and discovered he will not require surgery to repair his injured right shoulder according to azcardinals.com.

Two different specialists have diagnosed Palmer with an axillary nerve contusion, which has caused Palmer to sit out the last two games. Even after the bye week, Palmer still appears too hurt to play.

In fact, Palmer regressed after throwing for two days over the bye week. The 34-year-old quarterback said he was only throwing at about 20 percent and still the shoulder felt worse.

The Cardinals will once again turn to 30-year-old quarterback Drew Stanton, who led Arizona to wins over the Giants and 49ers to keep the Cardinals undefeated.

The only question remains, can fantasy owners also turn to Stanton to help them win $1 million?

Stanton is listed at just $5,000, the same price as backups Matt Hasselbeck, Jason Campbell, Derek Anderson and Bruce Gradkowski. That is also the same as new starter Kyle Orton and less than backup Johnny Manziel.

The Cardinals quarterback has thrown for 411 yards and two touchdowns in his two starts. That is not a ton of yards, obviously, but he did increase his passing totals from his first start in his second against a tougher opponent. He threw for just 167 yards in Week 2 against the Giants versus 244 yards against the 49ers in Week 3. His completion percentage also spiked up from 48.3 to 54.5 percent.

Three games is a small sample size, but the Denver Broncos are again one of the worst passing defenses in the league. The Broncos have allowed 285.3 yards per game through the air, which is 31st in the league. 

In what looks poised to be a high scoring affair, Stanton provides excellent value for daily fantasy players at his price. Of course, if you have the guts to use him.

Do you play Fantasy Football? If the answer is yes, this week is the most exciting opportunity in the history of the game. Win a MILLION DOLLARS playing Fantasy Football this week only! Go to www.FFChamps.com/million and get in on the action. 

Carson Palmer visited a spine specialist on Wednesday and discovered he will not require surgery to repair his injured right shoulder according to azcardinals.com.

Two different specialists have diagnosed Palmer with an axillary nerve contusion, which has caused Palmer to sit out the last two games. Even after the bye week, Palmer still appears too hurt to play.

In fact, Palmer regressed after throwing for two days over the bye week. The 34-year-old quarterback said he was only throwing at about 20 percent and still the shoulder felt worse.

The Cardinals will once again turn to 30-year-old quarterback Drew Stanton, who led Arizona to wins over the Giants and 49ers to keep the Cardinals undefeated.

The only question remains, can fantasy owners also turn to Stanton to help them win $1 million?

Stanton is listed at just $5,000, the same price as backups Matt Hasselbeck, Jason Campbell, Derek Anderson and Bruce Gradkowski. That is also the same as new starter Kyle Orton and less than backup Johnny Manziel.

The Cardinals quarterback has thrown for 411 yards and two touchdowns in his two starts. That is not a ton of yards, obviously, but he did increase his passing totals from his first start in his second against a tougher opponent. He threw for just 167 yards in Week 2 against the Giants versus 244 yards against the 49ers in Week 3. His completion percentage also spiked up from 48.3 to 54.5 percent.

Three games is a small sample size, but the Denver Broncos are again one of the worst passing defenses in the league. The Broncos have allowed 285.3 yards per game through the air, which is 31st in the league. 

In what looks poised to be a high scoring affair, Stanton provides excellent value for daily fantasy players at his price. Of course, if you have the guts to use him.

Do you play Fantasy Football? If the answer is yes, this week is the most exciting opportunity in the history of the game. Win a MILLION DOLLARS playing Fantasy Football this week only! Go to www.FFChamps.com/million and get in on the action.

It is only $27 to enter the Millionaire Maker fantasy football contest this week. First place gets $1 Million in cash, second place is $100,000 in cash and 15,500 contestants (1 out of 6) will win money.

In the Millionaire Maker fantasy football contest this week, you draft your lineup with a $50,000 virtual budget. All contestants are selecting from the same pool and all players can be used by all contestants. You can change your lineup all the way up until Sunday Kickoff. It takes less than one minute to sign up and about five minutes to draft your lineup.

I will be here all week long to give advice on whom to start, who to avoid and provide information on sleepers that could be key in your quest for a MILLION dollars.

Often we will see fantasy football players draft with their heart instead of their head. People will end up with a roster that consists of three or four guys from their favorite team. While in most cases, it does not work, things could be looking good if you are an Arizona Cardinals fan.

The team will travel to Denver for a Week 5 matchup with the defending AFC champions. In spite of a 2-1 record, the Broncos defense has given up 67 points through its first three games and is a couple of plays away from being 0-3.

The Cardinals offense, on the other hand, found success against a tough San Francisco defense in Week 3 and have had an extra week to prepare for this matchup. Regardless of who they start at quarterback, it will be a good play. Carson Palmer has had three weeks rest since injuring his shoulder and is a sleeper pick, with a salary of just $7,200.

Keep a close eye on the injury report, though, because if Palmer is unable to go, then Drew Stanton will be ready, with the lowest Draft Kings salary among all active quarterbacks at $5,000. He put up over 20 fantasy points against the 49ers in his last start and is capable of doing that again in Week 5 if he gets the nod.

At the running back position, regardless of the opponent, it is hard to go wrong with Andre Ellington. The second-year running back out of Clemson has yet to find the end zone this season, so Bruce Arians will want to give him as many chances as possible to get that first score. Even without a touchdown, Ellington can still put up fantasy points. He has just under 24 points through three games and is now fully rested heading into Week 5. $5,600 is a great value for him right now as it is only a matter of time before he breaks out.

Last but certainly not least is the wide receiver position. Larry Fitzgerald has disappointed a lot of his owners this year, but that is not who you should be focusing on. If you need a fairly cheap wide receiver that will get you double-digit points, Michael Floyd at $5,300 and John Brown at $4,500 are both great value options.

Arizona may not come out on top in this game, but its offense will have plenty of opportunities to put points on the board. Regardless of whether it is Palmer or Stanton under center, Ellington, Floyd and Brown are all very good choices. Stacking up on Cardinals players in Week 5 could win you a lot of money.