Broncos expert points toward one player Cowboys DC Matt Eberflus needs to take advantage of

The Dallas Cowboys have a tough game ahead as they set aim for a winning record for the first time this season. To get it, they need to beat the Denver Broncos' top-ranked defense on the road. Can they?

It's a tricky question. The Broncos went scoreless for third quarters against the New York Giants. But they're also the team that dropped 33 points in the fourth quarter against the same team. To get clarity on who Denver is, I reached out to A to Z SportsDenver's Adam Zientek.

He pointed out weaknesses on the Broncos, including the one offensive lineman Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus needs to zero in on. Let's dive into our Q&A behind enemy lines.

1. The Broncos are riding high following that 33-point fourth quarter to beat the Giants but what happened in the first three? Is there reason for concern for Denver’s offense?

Zientek: Bo Nix and the Broncos' offense have some growing pains, as was evident through the first three quarters against the New York Giants, but it's nothing new for the club, even this season. Heading into the final frame, the Broncos were 2-of-10 on third down conversions and only managed 180 total yards of offense. Far too many screen passes early in the game resulted in almost nothing, unless it was Marvin Mims Jr catching the ball. For some reason the team just comes alive in the fourth quarter, something they did in the comeback win against the Philadelphia Eagles as well. Against the Cowboys, Nix and the offense can't afford to get off to a rough start.

The Cowboys’ defense has been inconsistent rushing the passer and the Broncos are the top pass blocking team per PFF. Is there a weak link upfront Dallas should exploit?

Zientek: The team is currently down their starting left guard in Ben Powers, and that will absolutely be a position that the Cowboys should try and target. Currently, the team is on their fourth option at the position with Alex Palczewski, a fan-favorite who was forced into an increased role with multiple left guards going down with substantial injury. If there was any player to exploit on the offensive line for the Broncos, it's the left guard position.

Cowboys' pass rush and blitz facts

• The Cowboys rank 23rd in sack rate, per Sports Info Solutions.
• Dallas' pressure rate has improved to 16th in the NFL.
• In the last two weeks, the Cowboys blitzed at the 5th-highest rate in the league (36%). The Cowboys ranked 21st through five weeks at 21%.
• In the last two weeks, the Cowboys rank 8th in pressure rate in the NFL.

Coaching decision to watch: Eberflus has been more aggressive over the past two weeks manufacturing pressure. The Cowboys will need to do everything in their power to make Bo Nix uncomfortable on Sunday.

Patrick Surtain is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. Do you expect him to shadow George Pickens or CeeDee Lamb (slot) on Sunday?

Zientek: While Surtain does deserve his flowers, so does fellow cornerback Riley Moss. Whoever the number one option is for offense for the Cowboys, Surtain will look to lock down. Most likely, we'll see Surtain lining up against Lamb with Moss lining up against Pickens. Pro Football Reference says quarterbacks are 19-for-41 with 284 yards and one touchdown while targeting Moss in coverage this season. For Surtain, QBs are 16-of-30 for 166 yards and no scores. In the game against the Giants, the duo didn't allow a single completion. It's one of the best cornerback duos in the entire league.

What are your expectations for Sunday’s game?

Zientek: A hard-fought contest and a high-scoring affair. Nix and the Broncos offense have a few magical fourth quarters in them, but this will be an all-around complete game for the Broncos. While Nix is the leader of the team, I expect running back J.K. Dobbins to have one of his best games of the season against the Cowboys, which will allow the play-action to develop and some easier third-down conversions compared to the game against the Giants. Denver's defense, once again, wreaks havoc on the quarterback in Dak Prescott, bringing him down at least five times in the contest, with edge Nik Bonitto and fellow edge Jonathon Cooper having yet another successful day at the office.

window.addEventListener('message', function (event) {if (event.data.totalpoll && event.data.totalpoll.action === 'resizeHeight') {document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-375').height = event.data.totalpoll.value;}}, false);document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-375').contentWindow.postMessage({totalpoll: {action: 'requestHeight'}}, '*');