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Ultimate fans, I barely have words for what happened last week. For three quarters I was furious with what I assumed was going to be an embarrassing loss. Even Bo Nix admitted that morale on the sidelines was pretty low.
But Mile High Salute to Nix and all the Broncos who rallied and never gave up. Because that fourth quarter was something to behold. There was a lot of luck and a ton of bo-lief — and that combo propelled the Broncos to a 5-2 record and atop the AFC West.
But if they want to stay there, the Broncos have to get past a red-hot Cowboys team whose QB is back to playing up to his elite level. This matchup is no longer the “easy win” many of us hoped it would be before the season started.
Breaking it down for us like only our UFGs can is Sickboy67, who has no delusions about the potential from the Cowboys but still believes the Broncos get the edge. Like me, he’s predicting a close game with the good guys as the victors.
As Samuel L. Jackson might say, “hold on to your butts, Broncos Country!”
**MHR - Holy cow. THAT game last week was something. Be honest, how many times did you watch the highlights?**Sickboy67: Only a couple of times. In my case, it was more internal. I spent a lot of time reminiscing about all of those John Elway comebacks. I’d forgotten that anxiety we’d have almost every game. I’m not comparing Bo to JE – still too early for that – but the feeling was similar.
**MHR - Apparently the analytics show that teams that have such an emotional comeback one week tend to fail spectacularly the next. Are the Broncos going to beat the odds?**
Sickboy67: I think they will, but it won’t be a cakewalk. The Dallas offense is firing on all cylinders right now, so I think it’s going to be tight.
**MHR - The Dallas Cowboys will make their first trip to Mile High since 2017, looking for their first win over Denver since 1995. But it’s a battle of two of the league’s best units – the Cowboys’ offense and the Broncos’ defense. So is the Broncos’ offense more capable than the Cowboys’ defense in overcoming the NFL’s best?**
Sickboy67: I’m going to give the edge to our defense, but Dallas will land some punches. Let’s not forget that Vance was here in 2017, and even though he was head coach, he was also basically the defensive coordinator. I can definitely picture PS2 jumping into the stands after a pick 6 like Talib did in 2017.
**MHR - Javonte Williams is having his best season with the Cowboys, and he’s possibly the Cowboys’ best chance for getting the offense down the field, given Denver’s secondary, but the Broncos have mostly been able to stop the run (not counting Jonathan Taylor). How many yards do you think Williams can get on Sunday? What is the key to stopping him?**
Sickboy67: I picture him hitting the 60 yard range. He’ll be motivated. Our front 7 is used to facing him in practice, so I think they’ll be ready.
**MHR - Two of the biggest pieces to the Cowboys’ offensive juggernaut this season are CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. Who draws the short straw and gets Pat Surtain? Will the other guy be too much for Riley Moss?**
Sickboy67: Lamb will draw the short straw here. I think Moss will do what he’s done all season. He’ll give up a big catch or two but will otherwise be solid.
**MHR - The Cowboys’ offensive line has done a great job protecting Dak this season. Can they hold up against a relentless Zach Allen and John Franklin Myers? What about Bonitto and Cooper? What scares you the most about Dak Prescott versus this defense?**
Sickboy67: He’ll get the ball out quickly. We really need the linebackers to play well, or Dak will dink and dunk us all afternoon.
**MHR - Nik Bonitto has picked up where he left off last season and is a sack monster. But Prescott can be elusive. What’s the best way to get him off his game and prevent a breakaway run or deep ball for a quick score?**
Sickboy67: Tight coverage and blitz packages. As to my previous point, the linebackers have to be a part of that. They have to neutralize screen passes and check downs to the running backs and tight ends.
**MHR - Bo Nix has shown his moxie a few times already this season, engineering a comeback win over the Eagles, and then erasing a 33-point fourth quarter to beat the Giants last week. But the offense still sputters way too often. What would you like to see on Sunday from Nix and his receivers?**
Sickboy67: Keep it simple and utilize short crossing routes. I have no idea why this is seldom part of the game plan. I think that Bo’s running ability has to be featured more often as well.
**MHR - Speaking of running backs, JK Dobbins has been a solid runner every week for Denver. Given the state of the Cowboys’ defense, is this going to be a 200-yard-day for Dobbins? What kind of balance between run and pass would you like to see?**
Sickboy67: He won’t see 200 yards, but he should hit 100+ again. I’d like to see a clock-management run-to-set-up-the-pass style offense this week. Keep Dak off the field and prevent the Dallas offense from getting into a rhythm.
**MHR - Nix has spread the ball around to his plethora of targets but Courtland Sutton remains his most clutch player when needed. Are we due for a crazy one-handed circus catch in the back of the end zone from this guy?**
Sickboy67: Most definitely. That stuff is in Court’s wheelhouse. If we get one of those early, it’s going to fire up the whole offense.
**MHR - The kickers for both teams have been clutch (I know this because Aubrey is my fantasy kicker!) What are the chances the score differential on Sunday is three points or less? How likely is it that the game comes down to a kick as time expires?**Sickboy67: With this team? Likely. Might even go to OT.
_(\*editor’s note: please, no…my heart can NOT take that!)_
**MHR - The absolute best uniforms will be worn on Sunday – throwback Orange Crush. Will the Broncos live up to the moniker, get revenge for 1977 and crush the Cowboys on Sunday?**
ickboy67: Yeah. I love having the throwbacks a couple of times each season, and the team seems to play with an extra bit of pride when they’re wearing them. That being said, I don’t want to go back to them as the main kit. I think having them only twice a season makes them that more special.
**Stats for BO NIX?** 16-26 for 240 yds and 2 TDs
**Stats for each Broncos RB**? JK 18 for 110 and 1 TD. Harvey 10 for 50, maybe a receiving TD for him as well.
**Number of yards receiving/TDs for the receivers?** Sutton 8 for 100 yards and a TD. Mims gets 60 yards, and Franklin gets about 40 and Engram about 30.
**Longest FG for Lutz?** 53 yards
**Number of sacks to Dak Prescott?** 6\. I think they’re going to hit him a lot.
**How many times Nix is sacked?** 3
**Broncos player with the most tackles?** Bonitto
**Who gets the first sack of the game for the Broncos?** JFM
**How many punts inside the 20? The 5?** 3 and 2.
**How many INTs/FF/FR for the Cowboys D?** None
**How many INTs/FF/FR for the Broncos D?** 1
**How many penalties that cost the Broncos** 8
**Final Score?** 30 - 24 Denver
**Favorite Broncos win ever?** Super Bowl 32
**Favorite Peyton Manning win?** 7 TD revenge game against the Ravens
**Favorite John Elway win?** Super Bowl 33. MVP, baby!
**Favorite win by any other quarterback?** Brock Lobster in the snow against the Patriots
**Team you love to beat the most in the AFC West?** Now, the Chiefs. Historically, the Raiders.
**Coach you despise most in the NFL?** McDaniels, but he’s not a head coach anymore. Not overly fond of Daboll.
**Team you hate to lose to the most in the rest of the AFC (outside AFC West)?** Ravens
**NFC team you could cheer for in the Super Bowl?** Lions
**NFC team you’d want to face more than any other in the Super Bowl?** Cowboys
**Toughest game left on the schedule besides the Chiefs?** Commanders, if Daniels is healthy
**Favorite Broncos player on the current roster?** Surtain
**Favorite Broncos player of all time not named John Elway?** Von Miller
**Favorite new guy/rookie on the team?** Hufanga
**Food/Snack you have to eat on game day?** Popcorn
**Favorite game analyst/commentator?** I like Buck and Aikman. Not everyone’s cup of tea, though.
**Who is on your Broncos’ Mt. Rushmore?** We need a bigger mountain — Elway, Miller, Little, and Champ
SickBoy67: When I was a little kid**,** my best friend was a Cowboys fan, so I wanted a team that was pretty much the polar opposite. I’ve always been a fan of defense in most sports, so the original Orange Crush appealed to me. Yes, I’m that old.
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