In the classic battle between an immovable force and an unstoppable object, the 3-3-1 Dallas Cowboys will be going on the road to take on the 5-2 Denver Broncos. This game will feature two of the best units in the NFL, with the Cowboys ranking second in scoring offense, while the Broncos are fourth in scoring defense.
First-year Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer knows that his group has a tall task ahead, going against a Denver team that has won four straight games. When asked about the possibility of the Cowboys making a trade for a top-flight defender, Schottenheimer took the time to instead talk about the Broncos.
"Yeah, I mean, my focus is on the Broncos and coaching the team,” Schottenheimer told reporters yesterday. “There's always going to be speculation this time of year, and I get that. I talk to Will (McClay), Jerry (Jones), and Stephen (Jones) every day, and they keep me up to date on things. But, right now, my focus is on trying to go into Denver and find a way to beat a really, really good football team."
If Dallas could somehow steal a win against the Broncos in Denver, that would do wonders for the team's confidence. They're 1-3 on the road with their lone win coming against the 0-7 New York Jets. Schottenheimer wasn't able to identify one specific reason why Dallas has struggled away from home.
“Sometimes it's third down. Carolina was the run game. You know, different things that you have to look at,” he explained. “We know what we're capable of. And again, I think it comes down to execution. This big push for us this week is going to be about fundamentals and techniques. And that'll start today with the padded work that we get in there today. This is a very, very physical football team that we're getting ready to play… They're really good, but they're very physical, and that's why we need the pad to work today.”
Broncos head coach Sean Payton acknowledged how successful the Cowboys' offense has been while speaking to members of the media on Wednesday. He said that, when facing an offense that good, teams have to change the way they practice and prepare for the game.
“They've got a lot of guys playing well at a high level, especially when their receivers are all healthy, and they are,” Payton said. “They're doing a lot of things well, and it's a completely different team than the week before, so the approach changes, and we're at work right now preparing for it.”
After that historic 33-32 comeback win against the New York Giants last weekend, the Broncos need to put that epic victory behind them in order to get focused for Sunday. Broncos cornerback and the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Pat Surtain II, knows that these are the types of mental hurdles that the best teams in the league can overcome.
“I think that's the name of the game. The ups and downs,” Surtain said. “We all know we’ve got a long schedule. So, I think mentally – in that aspect – we’ve got to mentally prepare a different way. Obviously, we’re not on the field as much as weeks go on because we want to rest our bodies, get our bodies ready for the game. So, I think that mental aspect plays a big part further down the stretch in the season.”
Thankfully for Broncos fans, Sean Payton has already put Week Seven behind him. He is solely focused on playing the Cowboys this Sunday.
“Every game we play is weird,” Payton said. “Listen, we don't reflect back; we go forward, and that's how you have to approach it.”
Prediction for Dallas Cowboys @ Denver Broncos (-3.5)
The Cowboys have not faced a defense like this yet. They might've put up 40 points on the Packers, but Green Bay's secondary isn't anywhere close to Denver's. The Broncos won't shut out Dallas, but their defense will do enough to earn the win.
Prediction: Broncos 27 - 26 Cowboys
How to watch Dallas Cowboys @ Denver Broncos (-3.5)
Cowboys @ Broncos starts at 4:25 p.m. EDT at Empower Field at Mile High. You can watch it on CBS or stream it via the Paramount+ app or YouTube TV.
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