Three keys to the Broncos beating the Cowboys on Sunday
Nov 3, 2021, 6:24 AM
The Denver Broncos finally got back into the “W” column with a win over the Washington Football Team in Week 8. They stay in the NFC East, but this time travel to play the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9.
The Cowboys are tough to stop and are sound on both sides of the ball.
As per usual on Mondays and Tuesdays during the regular season, I have broken down the coach’s film of the Broncos upcoming opponent. Here are three observations from the Cowboys film that could be the keys for a Broncos victory on Sunday
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Dak or No Dak
The biggest story of the week will be the practice status of Cowboys superstar quarterback Dak Prescott. He missed the Week 8 game against the Minnesota Vikings with a calf injury, and his status for Week 9 is uncertain at this time. I’ve checked in with people around the Cowboys who feel like Prescott will play – and there’s a sense they don’t need to rush him back as they can beat Denver without him. We shall see, but without Prescott the Cowboys do have a backup plan.
In Prescott’s place last week was long-time backup Cooper Rush. He’s a decent backup who the team likes, and that’s why they’ve kept him around. Rush completed 24 of 40 passes for 325 yards, two touchdowns and one interception against the Vikings.
We saw the Vikings stack the line to stuff the rushing game in order to dare Rush to beat them – and he did that. Undrafted out of Central Michigan in 2017, Rush made the first start of his career against the Vikings, and he made sure to smother the field with targets for superstar receivers Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb. Rush also was patient with his full field reads and hit backup receiver Cedrick Wilson deep on a beautifully thrown deep pass.
Cooper Rush finds Cedrick Wilson for the 73-yard house call 💨
(via @NFL)
pic.twitter.com/8W05H9rDAS— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 1, 2021
Whether or not they have Prescott under center, the Cowboys offense is chock full of playmakers. Rush already showed that he’s not afraid to attack a defense deep, and Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore knows how to be aggressive at all three levels of an opponent.
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Double Trouble
The Cowboys offense features one of the best running backs in the league in Ezekiel Elliott. Behind him is a player who could start for at least a dozen teams – if not more – in Tony Pollard. While Broncos fans know Elliott, they need to get familiar with Pollard.
While Elliott’s game is about power and speed, Pollard’s game is about deceptive speed and nuance when running the ball. Elliott can soften up a defense and has no problem running between the tackles. Pollard has no hesitation running inside but man alive he can crush you if he gets to the perimeter.
Using these backs in tandem makes the Cowboys offense even more dangerous than it normally is. No matter how you play the rushing attack, the Cowboys can gash you with big plays or bludgeon you with runs up the gut. There’s really no stopping the Cowboys on the ground if they get going – you really just hope to slow them down.
Tony Pollard 🔥 vs Vikings pic.twitter.com/QHbrHo4nLU
— Law Nation Sports (@LawsNation) October 25, 2021
The Broncos rush defense has been suspect for the entire 2021 season. Third string running backs like D’Ernest Johnson and Jaret Patterson have had varying degrees of success against the Broncos over the last couple of weeks. It’s scary to think what strong runners like Elliott and Pollard can do to them on Sunday.
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Young Guns
Watch out for a couple of young players on the Cowboys defense who can make big plays. Trevon Diggs, a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, has quickly become one of the top young cornerbacks in the NFL. Micah Parsons, a first-round pick in 2021, is the prototypical inside linebacker who can make plays all over the field.
Parsons had a career day in Week 8, registering 11 tackles (10 solo), including four tackles for loss, and a quarterback hit against the Vikings. He played all but two snaps and showed accountability after criticizing himself after a win over the New England Patriots a couple of weeks ago. He became the first rookie in NFL history to have 10 solo tackles and 4 tackles for loss in a single game. Parsons also is the only player in NFL history with 40 tackles, 10 QB hits, and 2 passes defended through his first seven career games. He’s a star they can move all over the formation, and Parsons is a nightmare for opponents.
Diggs was a little banged up against the Vikings with an ankle injury. During the matchup against the Vikings, Diggs was tasked with covering superstar receiver Justin Jefferson. Diggs only had one tackle in the game, but he limited Jefferson to two catches for 21 yards (on four targets). This is fantastic considering Jefferson is one of the most dynamic receivers in the NFL. Diggs was injured on the last drive and missing him would be a big loss for the Cowboys defense on Sunday. He was not seen limping after the game which is a good sign.
And here is all of Trevon Diggs' INT + PBUs this season. It's so nice to finally have a certified PLAYMAKER in the DAL's secondary.
His ball skills and ability to accelerate to the catch point while the ball is in the air are particularly impressive. #Cowboys pic.twitter.com/GlhieN8Mf6
— John Owning (@JohnOwning) October 25, 2021
We’ll watch the practice report during the week to see how much time Diggs can put in towards preparation for this Broncos game. Early reports indicate that Diggs suffered a minor injury and is going to be able to play. That’s a good sign for the Cowboys and potentially a bad sign for the Broncos offense.
