Cowboys vs. Broncos is a matchup of teams that are a step away from contender status

https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/article/cowboys-vs-broncos-is-a-matchup-of-teams-that-are-a-step-away-from-contender-status-134929262.html

If you could combine the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos, you’d probably have the best team in the NFL.

The Broncos might have the best defense in the NFL. The Cowboys might have the best offense in the NFL. The problems start to happen when those units aren’t on the field.

The Cowboys face the Broncos in what might be the best game of Week 8. The Cowboys are feeling good after beating the Washington Commanders 44-22 last week in CeeDee Lamb’s return to the lineup. The Broncos are coming off one of the wackiest wins in NFL history. They scored 33 points in the fourth quarter after being shut out in the first three quarters, the first time that has ever happened in the NFL. Denver overcame a 19-0 deficit to start the fourth quarter, a 26-8 with less than six minutes left and giving up a lead with 37 seconds left to win in regulation to beat the Giants.

When the Cowboys offense is on the field, we’ll have a great matchup to watch. When the Broncos offense is on the field, we can take a long look at whether either the Cowboys defense or Broncos offense can improve enough to make a difference this season.

Cowboys offense carrying the defense

Nobody planned on the Cowboys having the best offense in the NFL.

Dak Prescott has been a very good quarterback, Lamb has been a top receiver and George Pickens had talent among the red flags that caused the Pittsburgh Steelers to trade him to Dallas. But everything has clicked. Prescott has been great. Pickens looks focused in a contract year and he has been one of the best receivers in football. Javonte Williams is on pace for about 1,450 rushing yards, which is one of the biggest surprises in the NFL.

The Cowboys are second in the NFL in points scored, first in yards gained, fourth in offensive DVOA and second in EPA (expected points added) per play on offense. And that’s without CeeDee Lamb for three games and almost the entirety of a fourth with an ankle injury. Dallas is 3-3-1 and feeling like it can make a run, but the defense has to cooperate for that to happen.

Maybe the Cowboys’ adjustments on defense last week, moving to more man defense against the Commanders, shows that they’re making changes and can get better. Dallas’ defense wasn’t all that great against Washington — the Commanders were beat up and Dallas still allowed three touchdowns and 341 yards to a team whose top passing game weapon was 34-year-old tight end Zach Ertz — but it was probably its best game of the season. Dallas has given up the most yards in the NFL this season. It’s hard to make the playoffs being that bad on defense. They probably need to make a move at the trade deadline, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has said that’s a possibility.

The good news is this week Dallas’ defense gets a matchup against an offense that is still trying to find its 2024 form.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) is playing as well as he ever has in his career. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

(Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Broncos offense continues to lag

Last season Bo Nix was a revelation. He had a strong rookie season. Broncos fans celebrated, believing their post-Peyton Manning quarterback drought was over.

And Nix hasn’t been bad, but he hasn’t taken the second-year leap anyone expected of him.

The Broncos have had a strange season on offense. Over the past three weeks almost all of their production has come from the fourth quarters of games against the Eagles and Giants. Remove those two quarters, and in the other 10 quarters the Broncos have scored one touchdown. The Broncos scored 18 points in the fourth quarter to beat the Eagles, 33 points in the fourth quarter to beat the Giants last week and didn’t need to do much to beat the Jets in between. At some point, Denver has to play four good quarters on offense to keep winning games. Nix has been up and down all season, and the Broncos offense has followed that. Luckily, the defense is really good. That’s why Denver is 5-2, with only road losses with no time on the clock against the Colts and Chargers. They’re that close to being undefeated despite an uneven offense.

Denver’s defense top five in points allowed, yards allowed and EPA allowed. The pass rush has been excellent. The Broncos have 34 sacks, eight more than any other team. Nik Bonitto would be the favorite to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year if the voting happened right now. It’s a championship level defense. But it will need help from the offense.

It’s a fascinating matchup. The Broncos could win the AFC West over the Chiefs if the offense comes alive. If the Cowboys could stop anyone at all, they could make the playoffs and Prescott could be an actual MVP candidate then. Both teams just have to figure out one side of the ball, and maybe a special season could be unlocked.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/article/cowboys-vs-broncos-is-a-matchup-of-teams-that-are-a-step-away-from-contender-status-134929262.html