The Denver Broncos won’t stop winning.
Now winners of five in a row, the Broncos retained the top spot in the AFC West with a 44-17 victory over the Dallas Cowboys at home on Sunday. With the win, the Broncos improved to 6-2 on the year, while the Cowboys dropped to 3-4-1 on the season.
Here are my takeaways:
1. Undermanned Dallas defense still giving up big plays
The Cowboys were without three players in their secondary due to injury and lost another one when safety Alijah Clark suffered a rib injury and had to leave the game in the second half. That obviously wasn’t great news for a Cowboys defense that entered Sunday’s contest last in total yards allowed and last in the NFL in passing yards allowed.
Predictably, the depleted Cowboys gave up 11 plays of at least 10 yards as the Broncos finished with 427 total yards of offense. Dallas also failed to get consistent pressure, finishing without a sack and just one quarterback hit on Denver quarterback Bo Nix.
While the Cowboys have one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the league in Dak Prescott, they have an uphill climb battle to defensively so that they can compete for a playoff berth.
2. Let’s pump the brakes on the Dak Prescott MVP talk
Speaking of Prescott, after putting up elite numbers against some of the worst defenses in the league, the Cowboys’ starting quarterback came back down to earth against the top defense in the NFL on Sunday.
Prescott had his worst game of the season, completing 19 of 31 passes for 188 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions. Prescott was under pressure most of the day, getting sacked twice and hit another eight times, posting a 51.5 passer rating. He was replaced at quarterback by backup Joe Milton with a little over six minutes left and the game out of reach.
Prescott got a little help from the running game. Playing against the team that drafted him, Javonte Williams had two touchdowns, but finished with just 41 yards on 13 carries (3.2 yards per carry). Denver corners Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss did a nice job against CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, holding them to a combined 152 receiving yards.
Most importantly, Prescott and the Cowboys have yet to defeat a team this year with a winning record.
3. Bo Nix plays within himself
The second-year pro out of Oregon has been up and down this season. However, Nix played an efficient game against an overmatched Dallas defense, taking what the defense gave him and not forcing the issue.
Nix completed 65.5% for 247 yards and four touchdowns. One of his few poor throws was an interception by Cowboys defensive back Trikweze Bridges on the opening drive of the game, but he played strong football after that.
Nix also was helped by Denver’s running game, as the Broncos totaled 171 yards on the ground. Rookie running back RJ Harvey finished with 43 rushing yards and three total touchdowns, while JK Dobbins rushed for 111 yards on 15 carries.
4. Brandon Aubrey not given chance at FG record
Much of the discussion heading into Sunday’s contest was whether Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey would get a shot to break the NFL’s record for the longest field goal held by Justin Tucker (66 yards) by kicking in the thin air in Denver. Aubrey has made a league record five field goals from at least 60 yards.
However, Aubrey never got the opportunity, making his only field goal attempt, a chip shot from 24 yards. It looked like Aubrey would get a shot at the end of the first half. However, Prescott threw an interception to Denver cornerback Jahdae Barron as he forced a throw over the middle to tight end Jake Ferguson.
4 1/2. What’s next
The Cowboys get another opportunity to get back on the winning track when they host the Arizona Cardinals in a nationally televised Monday night game in Week 9.
The Broncos, meanwhile, hit the road to face the Houston Texans as they’re in the middle of a five-game stretch where they play at home four times. Denver, especially on offense, is trending in the right direction as it will undoubtedly face a difficult journey toward the AFC West title this season.
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams.
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