The Denver Broncos host the Dallas Cowboys this weekend in one of the best matchups of Week 8. This will be a tough game for the Broncos, as the Cowboys have a high-powered offense. If the Broncos want to notch their fifth win in a row and sixth of the season, they will have to play a complete game with little miscues, turnovers, or errors. Let’s take a deeper look at Denver’s opponent this Sunday.
2024 Dallas Cowboys Season Review
The Cowboys finished their 2024 campaign going 7-10 and finishing third in the NFC East. They ranked 21st in the NFL with respect to points scored and 17th in yards gained on offense. With respect to the defense, they were 31st in points allowed and 28th in yards allowed.
2025 Dallas Cowboys Offseason Additions and Departures
After an underwhelming season, Head Coach Mike McCarthy who had been there since 2020 was fired. They replaced him in house with Brian Schottenheimer. Subsequently, there were a lot of shake ups on both sides of the ball over the course of the offseason.
The Cowboys were one of the most active teams trying to acquire talent but also lost some as well. They traded away All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers was certainly their biggest departure. In turn, that helped net them nose tackle Kenny Clark to man the middle of their defense. DeMarcus Lawrence, who had played in their defensive trenches for 11 seasons, wound up with the Seattle Seahawks.
As far as additions go, they traded for Kenneth Murray to shore up their linebacker position and Kaiir Elam to help out their defensive backfield. Dallas also rewarded defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa with a four-year deal with $80 million in early March.
On offense, acquiring wide George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers was a big get for them on offense. Pickens has had a fantastic start to the season. They also signed running back Javonte Williams in free agency who has performed very well with his new team. Those two are big reasons why their offense is much improved over last season.
In the 2025 NFL Draft, they utilized their top pick on Alabama offensive lineman Tyler Booker who is currently a starter for them at right guard. For the rest of their draft endeavors, there was a big focus on improving their defense. While Donovan Ezeirauku has played in seven games, he has failed to make an impact as a high-level pass rusher with sacks, but has been generating a decent amount of pressure.
Offensive X-Factor: Quarterback Dak Prescott
The strength of the Cowboys is longtime veteran quarterback Dak Prescott. He ranks among the best in the NFL when it comes to passing yards, passing touchdowns, and completion percentage. On top of that, he is great at avoiding sacks and has an innate ability to make great plays outside of the pocket, as well as inside of it.
In my opinion, Prescott has been playing at an MVP level. He boasts a great duo of receivers in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, as well as a high-quality tight end in Jake Ferguson. The aforementioned Williams has also been a boon to their running game, helping make their heavy-gap scheme offense one of the most formidable in the NFL. That’s helped alleviate a lot of pressure from Prescott’s shoulders.
Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph runs man coverage among the highest rates in the league. One of the best battles this weekend will be watching Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss go head-to-head against the aforementioned wide receivers. Another thing to keep in mind is how great Prescott is when teams blitz him. He has been one of the most productive quarterbacks against the blitz and Joseph’s been dialing up a lot of heat with extra players throughout the season.
I’m interested to see if we see more zone principles against Prescott and the Cowboys considering Dak’s ability to win routinely against man coverage. This is a game where the Broncos can’t afford to get themselves into a shootout. How Denver’s defense fairs in this game will have a major impact on the outcome.
Defensive X-Factor: Do they even have one?
The Cowboys’ defense has struggled in a lot of ways to date. They’ve given up the most yards through the air, the highest yards per reception, and a lot of touchdowns and explosive plays over 40 yards. Additionally, their defense has given up the second most yards on the ground this season. That’s a combined recipe for disaster, which is why they amongst the worst in the NFL in points scored and yards allowed.
Micah Parsons would have been the surefire selection for their defensive X-Factor, but they traded him away to the Packers for Kenny Clark and two first down picks. As noted above, they have done a lot of shuffling on the defensive side of the ball over the offseason. They’ve also been dealing with some injuries and may have several defensive backs (Treyvon Diggs and Donovan Wilson who are starters) out for the game.
Is Clark their top player? He is a three-time Pro-Bowler but doesn’t look like the same player he was with the Packers. Odighizuwa is an above-average starter, but he really isn’t a dynamic player on their defensive front. I’m not trying to deliberately throw shade, but their defense has been awful for most the season so it’s really hard to pinpoint any player I’m significantly concerned about this weekend.
How the Broncos can secure a victory over the Cowboys
The Cowboys will be a tough opponent for the Broncos due to their prolific offense. This is a game where Denver’s defense is going to have to show up and limit their big-play ability. Dallas had had a few games with some turnovers but have been stellar the past several weeks taking care of the football. If Joseph’s crew can find a way to help win the turnover battle, that would go a long way toward achieving a win.
On top of that, the offense has to sustain drives. They need to get the running game going and help control the clock. They can’t continue to have three-and-outs at such a high rate, which has added unnecessary pressure to the defense. The Broncos need to clean up the penalties, miscues, and poor blocking on offense to operate much more effectively.
I expect this to be a hard-fought battle. Denver had played some quality opponents to date, but I feel the Cowboys, despite their record, definitely factor in amongst the higher-caliber teams on the schedule. A fifth-straight victory and sixth overall would be a huge achievement for the Broncos. It’s not going to be easy, but I have faith that the team can take care of business at home again this weekend.
Hart’s Prediction: Broncos 27, Cowboys 24.