\-- The NFL trade deadline hits at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, which is less than 12 hours after the Cardinals are scheduled to land from their road trip to Dallas. Last year, the Cardinals traded for outside linebacker Baron Browning. I'm not sure if Monti Ossenfort has any deals in mind, or if it might hinge on the outcome against the Cowboys. It feels like any big moves, going out or coming in, is unlikely. But we'll see. (No, I don't see a Kyler deal, despite what everyone seems to want to speculate about on social media.)
\-- The Cardinals have made a habit of close games – each of their seven decided within seven points – so kickers could matter Monday. Chad Ryland has continued to play well, and in his career has field goals of 57, 57, and 58 yards. But the Cards will face Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey, who hasn't even played three seasons and could be trending to being the best ever. Aubrey has five field goals of at least 60 yards in his career, and amazingly already is 29-of-32 in his career from 50 yards or more.
"Deep down, you want as many attempts as you can get, and if someone gets a long one and you don't, you are kind of, 'Aw, shoot, I wish I had that chance,'" Ryland said.
Ryland also said kickers don't really root for others to miss. The kicking fraternity is that close. (Although Ryland wants to be the one booting a game-winner). The Cardinals just don't need the Cowboys to pull up at midfield and have Aubrey launch one.
"It may change how you play their offense defensively, are they in range?" special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers said. "Some teams, they get to the 50, they may need 'x' more yards. (The Cowboys) may attempt it. You give that player the respect. He's attempting a 64-yard kick in a game, with most kickers there is a returner sitting back there waiting on it. Not with that guy."
\-- Linebacker BJ Ojulari might get a chance to get back in a game sooner than expected. Ojulari, who just had his practice window opened after 15 months on the sideline, "surprised" Gannon with how hard and fast he already looked in practice. But he won't play this week.
\-- Tight end Trey McBride continues to hit all different kinds of marks and one to watch – and one that McBride shouldn't have an issue reaching with 10 games left in the season – is that he already has the second-most receptions for a tight end in his first four NFL seasons, 268. Jimmy Graham had 301 after four seasons, and given McBride's production, he's going to average more than 3.5 receptions a game the rest of the season. That'll put McBride over the top after four years. It'd be remarkable given how little he was targeted his first season-and-a-half, and proof with how prolific he's become since.
\-- Monday will mark the 250th start for defensive lineman Calais Campbell in his NFL career.
\-- A quick side note: I signed up to participate in the inaugural Cardinals Climb in February to help raise money for those with special needs. If you are so inclined to [go to my page and donate a little something](https://cardinalsclimb.com/participants/1389), I would be in your debt.
\-- Keep in mind the vast majority of the country changes clocks on Saturday night – we in Arizona stay right where we are – so that we will now only be two hours earlier from the East Coast instead of three. That means NFL games are all on an hour later. In the Cardinals' case, that means kickoff against the Cowboys will be 6:15 p.m.
\-- The last word goes to defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, whose unit faces the highest-scoring team in the league after a bye in which he tried to analyze why the defense has struggled in the fourth quarters. "It's not like, 'I've seen the light,'" Rallis said, noting that it is working with fixes within the margins that hopefully make the difference:
"Whether or not I found the answers, we will see."