
The Denver Broncos have a tough one with the Dallas Cowboys coming to town. This game is two different contests in one: the Broncos' defense and the Cowboys' offense are among the best in the NFL.
Meanwhile, the Broncos' offense and the Cowboys' defense are among the worst.
Something has to give, and with what has been seen of the Broncos' offense, it's hard to count on them, even with how bad the Cowboys' defense has been. Then you have the Cowboys' offense, full of playmakers, and the Broncos' defense coming off a game full of mental errors.
In the end, this is a challenging game for the Broncos.
After breaking down the matchups, I have five bold predictions for this game. Some are predictions you'll hope the Broncos realize, with others you'll wish they avoid. Let’s get to them.
Again, it's tough to bet on the Broncos' offense, given what they have done over the last 12 quarters — only three good quarters among them — but the Cowboys' defense is that bad. If the Broncos can figure out things against the worst defense in the NFL, their offense will likely be a mess for the whole season.
On Sunday, Denver does well through the air, picking up nearly 300 yards passing, while adding over 200 yards rushing. The Cowboys' rushing defense is atrocious, and the Broncos should be able to win consistently at the line of scrimmage to open up running lanes.
The issues Nix has had with hitting deep shots are well-documented, as he has been one of the worst in this department this season. It's an area where the Cowboys' defense struggles, and Nix can hit them.
Most of his issues have been 95% on Nix, due to consistently putting too much on his passes. The Broncos made changes to their practice week that will help Nix dial it in and hit a pair of those deep shots, as well as generate other explosive plays off shorter throws.
There is a favorable matchup for Bonitto in this game, and he will be reassuring himself with a bounce-back performance after a quiet game against the New York Giants. Tyler Guyton, the Cowboys' left tackle, has not been great this season, and he struggles against Bonitto, who wins consistently.
Even with Dak Prescott’s ability to get the ball out quickly and avoid sacks, Bonitto is relentless and disrupts the passing game. Not only does he get three sacks, but Bonitto also adds at least seven pressures as he has himself a huge game.
Throughout the first seven weeks, the Cowboys have been one of the better and most consistent rushing attacks in the NFL. The Broncos' rushing defense has gotten so much better since Malcolm Roach came off injured reserve, which makes this such an intriguing matchup.
On Sunday, the Broncos find ways to win consistently, working downhill and severely limiting the Cowboys' rushing attack. This can be a good thing, but with how dangerous the Cowboys' passing attack is, they may find themselves forced to be more one-dimensional.
With the prediction that the Broncos will break 500 yards, the Cowboys will also break that milestone, with most of it coming through the air. This has the makings of a high-scoring game, with the Cowboys' offense finding success against the tough Broncos, and Denver's offense making plays against a bad opponent.
Ideally, the Broncos' defense keeps this from happening and shuts down the Cowboys' offense. However, the Broncos have their work cut out for them, given how many ways the Cowboys can win with all the weapons on that offense.
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