The Denver Broncos are gearing up for what many inside the building believe is their toughest defensive test yet.Â
Fresh off a stunning fourth-quarter comeback win over the Giants, Denverâs defense now faces Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys, one of the NFLâs top-ranked offenses.
As Mile High Sports noted, superstar cornerback Patrick Surtain II didnât mince words when discussing the challenge.
âThey nearly lead the league in all the passing numbers,â Surtain said. âTheyâre balanced, too, strong in the run game and efficient in the air. Itâs going to be a pretty good challenge.â
At 5-2, the Broncos are one of the leagueâs stingiest defenses, but Sundayâs matchup against a Dallas offense averaging nearly 400 yards per game will test that identity.
 But Surtain made it clear this week that Denver isnât backing down:
âTheyâve got playmakers everywhere,â Surtain said of Dallasâ receiving corps. âCeeDee [Lamb] is one of the best in the game, strong hands, great route runner, dangerous after the catch. And Pickens brings a different kind of physicality. We know exactly what weâre up against.â
Surtainâs confidence mirrors the tone across Denverâs locker room:Â
âTheyâre pretty efficient,â Surtain added. âThey nearly lead the league in all the passing numbers, and they can run it, too. Itâs going to be a great challenge, but this is what we live for as competitors.â
Broncos Defense vs. Cowboys Offense: Strength Meets Strength
The numbers tell the story of two units at the top of their game.
Dallas leads the league in yards per game (390.6), ranks second in points (31.7), and has allowed just eight sacks all season, which is tied for the second fewest in the NFL.
Dak Prescott has been surgical, completing 71% of his passes for 1,881 yards, 16 touchdowns, and only three interceptions on the season.Â
Denverâs defense, however, has been equally elite.Â
The Broncos allow just 273.1 yards per game (third fewest), 4.49 yards per play (second fewest), and 18.1 points per game (fourth fewest).Â
They lead the NFL in sacks with 34 while also holding teams to a 29.2% conversion rate on third down and a red-zone success rate under 38%.
Edge rusher Nik Bonitto knows whatâs at stake:
âHeâs [Prescott] a guy who can make a lot of things happen in the pocket,â Bonitto said. âWeâve got to make life easy for the DBs this week.â
Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper, who are both in the top 5 in the NFL in sacks, will look to put more pressure on Prescott and get him uncomfortable.Â
Denverâs Secondary Proving Itâs Among the NFLâs Best
While the pass rush has stolen headlines, Denverâs secondary has quietly become the backbone of the defense.
Surtain continues to shadow top receivers, while Moss, often targeted as the âotherâ corner, has quietly delivered.
According to Next Gen Stats, Moss has allowed just 20 completions on 45 targets (44%) and only 286 total yards on 264 coverage snaps.
Payton praised his young cornerâs resilience:
â[Heâs] playing outstanding,â Payton said. âHeâs getting a lot of targets, but heâs on to the next play every time.â
That next-play mentality will be critical against an elite Dallas receiving corps led by CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.Â
With Denverâs defense leading the NFL in sacks and Dallasâ offense ranking near the top in almost every metric, Sundayâs matchup is shaping up as a heavyweight battle between the league’s best offense and the league’s best defense.Â
âItâs going to be fun,â Surtain said with a grin after practice. âThatâs what you play this game for, to face the best.âÂ
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