**WILL DENVER START FASTER?**
The Broncos surged back for a comeback win against the Giants with a 33-point fourth quarter, but Denver's Week 8 focus is primarily on avoiding the early game struggles that necessitated that sort of performance.
"I think it's stacking first downs and getting the first points on the board," quarterback Bo Nix said. "We've continued to try to find ways to grow, learn. How can we get that to happen on the first drive? How can we go down and get points? How can we get a few first downs? There's one thing about putting openers together and having your plays, but another to go execute them. That's what we have to focus on. That's what we're looking forward to doing. I think everybody on offense has that edge to them to where we're tired of being close. I think everybody's working towards making those first few possessions count."
Denver has scored just one first-half touchdown over the last three weeks and posted 13 combined points over the first three quarters during that same span. As the Broncos look to address the concern, Payton said the Broncos altered their Wednesday practice in hopes of jump-starting their Sunday performances.
"I think it's more about the in-week prep," Payton said Wednesday. "Today's practice was different. I won't get into the details. We have to make Wednesday like Sunday. I think that's part of it."
The Broncos' penalty concerns have played a role in the recent early struggles, but Denver has also shown its ability to strike fast at times this season. The Nix-led offense scored a trio of first-half touchdowns in games against the Colts and the Bengals earlier this season, and they'll look to return to more consistent success against Dallas' 32nd-ranked total defense and 30th-ranked scoring defense. The Cowboys are tracking to be just the second team in the Super Bowl era to finish first in total offense and last in total defense, and the Broncos' offense will look to take advantage.
As Denver's offense looks to find more consistency, it may be particularly important to reach the 24-point mark. Since 2021, the Cowboys' .884 winning percentage (38-5) when allowing 24 points or fewer is the highest in the NFL.
**CAN DENVER CONTINUE ITS ONE-SCORE SUCCESS?**
The Broncos could limit the Cowboys' offense. They could start faster on offense. And, given the nature of the NFL, the Broncos could still find themselves locked in a one-score game in the fourth quarter.
The good news for Denver? The team has found its stride in recent weeks in tight games. A year after recording a 1-6 record in one-score games, the Broncos have gone 4-2 in such games this year — including three consecutive wins in games decided by four-points or fewer. The team's last three victories have come by a combined seven points. Only the Eagles have more wins (5) in one-score games this year than the Broncos.
The Broncos certainly hope to have a larger lead late in the game, but they've also proven to themselves that they can thrive in tough moments.
"I think that the experience definitely helps," wide receiver Courtland Sutton said. "Experience is something that, no matter what field you work in, it's definitely something that's very beneficial, because the more times you see it, the more times you give yourself confidence that you can overcome it. I do think that us being in those situations over the course of the season so far has given us more confidence that when we get put in those situations, we can come out victorious on the other end of that. You would like not to be in those situations; however, I don't know what the percent is, but there's a certain percentage — and it's a very high percent — of most games \[coming\] down to one-score games in the NFL. You're going to be in that position. I think the more times that you get put in those situations, the more times you understand how to overcome them. You can only simulate the two-minute drives in practice, but when the real bullets are flying, how well can your team go out there and operate? I think that us having the chances to get those live reps in games and then seeing the positive outcome at the end is giving us more confidence to be able to have success down the road."
Dallas has posted a 1-2-1 record in four one-score games of its own this year, and the Broncos will look to continue to hold a fourth-quarter edge.
Through Week 7, the Broncos have outscored opponents 71-29 in the final frame, which is the highest point differential in the NFL. Dallas, meanwhile, has given up the fourth-most points (64) in the fourth quarter this season. In total, Denver ranks first in yards, point differential and sack differential and tied for first in points in the fourth quarter in 2025. Nix has also been at his best, leading three game-winning drives and fourth-quarter comebacks.
"It's the thing that we didn't do a good job with a year ago," Payton said Sunday of winning one-score games. "When we won, we won. We were in a lot of close games, and they went the other direction. … That's our game a little bit. That's the reason it's popular. That's the reason television does so well. The system is set up in a manner to create that. Then, you have to figure out ways to get the edge. Then, it becomes a little contagious. You kind of begin to feel like you're in every game."