The Denver Broncos dominated the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, winning by a final score of 44-24. The defense was outstanding throughout all four quarters, but they lost their best cornerback. Patrick Surtain II left the game due to a shoulder injury and is now expected to miss multiple weeks.
The Broncos Will Be Missing Their Star Corner
What makes the Broncos’ defense so lethal is their ability to shut down opposing receivers while getting after the quarterback. Nik Bonitto and Jonathan Cooper have had fantastic seasons, making the secondary’s job easier each week. Denver will be met with a tough task heading into the next couple of weeks without Surtain. Jordan Schultz reported earlier that Surtain is expected to miss 4-6 weeks and won’t need surgery.
Even without Surtain, the Broncos’ secondary did a nice job of stopping the Cowboys’ offense on Sunday. Riley Moss is expected to slide into the starting role and will be accompanied by Kris Abrams-Draine and Jahdae Barron. DC Vance Joseph has been giving Barron more playing time in the previous weeks, and he’ll now have a starting role. Abrams-Draine played well in a limited role last season, but struggled against the Cowboys.
While Surtain is expected to miss 4-6 weeks, it actually won’t seem like a long time for Denver to be without him. The Broncos’ schedule over the next four weeks is weird, and actually benefits Surtain. They’ll travel to Houston to take on the Texans this Sunday, head back home for a short week matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders on “Thursday Night Football,” and then play the Kansas City Chiefs at home.
After these matchups, they’ll enter their bye week, meaning Surtain could return against the Washington Commanders in Week 13.
Can Denver Stay Afloat In the AFC?
The Broncos are entering a crucial part of their schedule, playing multiple divisional opponents. They currently are the third-best team in the AFC, just behind the Indianapolis Colts (7-1) and New England Patriots (6-2). Both of these teams have a better conference record than Denver, which is 3-2 against AFC opponents. The inter-conference games could be crucial as to where they end up in the overall standings, along with the AFC West.
They hold a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs. Both of these teams have many in-conference matchups ahead of them, as they all play AFC opponents in their next three games. Bo Nix and the Broncos offense need to be sharp and limit the turnovers, putting the defense in the best position possible.
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