In breaking down the Cowboys’ film, Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph watched in particular for what looked different schematically on the offense when backup quarterback Andy Dalton came in. 

“Nothing changed,” Joseph said Thursday. 

Cowboys starter Dak Prescott had thrown for 1,856 and nine touchdowns in less than five games before exiting Sunday’s game with a season-ending ankle injury. Those 1,856 passing yards were league-leading, and nearly 300 more yards than any other quarterback. He and Dalton are certainly different, but the Cardinals are preparing in a similar fashion, even with the change at quarterback. 

Joseph attributes that in part to Dalton’s 10 years in the league. 

“As far as the offense changing, it probably won’t change much with Andy being the veteran guy,” Joseph said. 

The Cardinals faced Dalton last season as a Bengal in Week 5, where Arizona notched its first win of the season, a 26-23 road victory as time expired. Dalton threw for 262 yards and two touchdowns. But Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury has known the fellow Texas native much longer. 

“Followed him for a long time, the career he had there at TCU and then in the pros as well,” Kingsbury said Wednesday. “He’s been a tremendous player in this league for a long time and it’s going to be a huge challenge trying to slow that offense down.”

If they can’t slow them down, they’ll need to keep up. The Cowboys defense is allowing 36 points per game, most in the league, and 404.4 yards per game. Still, Kingsbury is cautious to glean too much from those numbers. 

“I think there’s a lot of talent on that defense. They’ve had some injuries and are still figuring out the scheme at times,” he said Wednesday. “But I’ve seen marked improvement over the last couple of weeks.”

The Cowboys’ two wins have come over the Falcons and the Giants, who are both still winless. But sitting at 3-2, Cardinals players have echoed Kingsbury’s mentality. 

“I think people forget that this defense has like eight former Pro Bowlers on it,” center Mason Cole said Wednesday. “This is an incredibly talented defense, so we’ve got to prepare like that. Maybe they’re not playing as well as they could be right now, but they have that ability to.”

So the Cowboys hope any changes to their identity this week will come on the defense instead of the offense. Head coach Mike McCarthy has expressed his confidence in Dalton, while allowing that the loss of Prescott still had a rattling effect emotionally on the team. 

“I’ve never seen a response during a football game on both sidelines, everybody involved, and then obviously after the game, on a personal level, the number of people that reached out that don’t even know Dak Prescott,” McCarthy said Thursday on a conference call.

“He has made such an impact on the NFL community and on the Dallas community in such a short time. … I think we’re fortunate to have an extra day of preparation this week going into the game because it’s given us a chance to work through some of those emotions.”

Jones to IR, Irving in

Cardinals have signed linebacker Isaiah Irving from Denver’s practice squad and officially placed linebacker Chandler Jones (biceps) on injured reserve.

Irving, 25, is in his fourth season after entering the league undrafted and playing the past three seasons with Chicago. He joined Denver’s practice squad on Sept. 16. With the Bears, he appeared in 33 games and had 27 tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery.

Injury report

With the game coming on Monday Night Football, the first injury report came out Thursday. As the Cardinals look to replace Jones, they are also doing so with an injury-ridden group of linebackers. 

Linebackers Kylie Fitts (hamstring) and Dennis Gardeck (foot) did not participate in Thursday’s practice, and Devon Kennard (calf) was limited. In addition, DL Rashard Lawrence (calf) and OL J.R. Sweezy (elbow) did not participate Thursday.

Reach the reporter at [email protected] or 480-356-6407. Follow her on Twitter @kfitz134.

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