5 Juicy Cowboys Matchups Broncos' Offense Should Exploit in Week 8
The upcoming matchup between the Denver Broncos and the Dallas Cowboys is difficult to predict. The Cowboys have one of the best offenses in the NFL, but their defense is one of the worst.
On the other hand, the Broncos have one of the best defenses but one of the worst offenses. This clash of strengths and weaknesses promises an exciting and unpredictable game.
One side is the immovable object (Broncos' defense) vs. the unstoppable force (Cowboys' offense), then you have the moveable object (Cowboys' defense) vs. the stoppable force (Broncos' offense). Something has to give here, and when you look at games with this same feel throughout NFL history, the team with the better defense often comes out on top.
For the Broncos to walk out with this one, they have to get more consistent play from their offense throughout the game, rather than just one quarter, as has been the case in their last three wins. To help them do that, the Broncos need to find these five matchups and exploit them to create that consistency.
Skill Player(s) vs. LB Kenneth Murray Jr.
The Cowboys have an evident weakness on defense: Murray, who struggles in coverage. He's also dealing with an ankle injury that could affect his mobility.
Throughout the start of the season, Murray has been a liability in coverage and has not done well as a run defender to make up for it. He has not lived up to expectations since entering the NFL, and his play has seemed to his a new low this season.
This makes for a matchup that Bo Nix and the Broncos need to exploit in the passing game. It can be getting tight end Evan Engram matched up on Murray, or isolating him against one of the running backs.
Whatever the case, Murray is an exploitable defender the Broncos must target.
Courtland Sutton vs. Cowboys' CBs
Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs has been ruled out with a concussion, but he has been among the worst corners so far this season. Kaiir Elam has been the Cowboys' No. 2, but he has also been one of the worst corners so far this season.
Elam has a poor matchup against Sutton that Denver can look to exploit.
DaRon Bland will likely step in for Diggs on the outside, with the Cowboys inserting someone else into the slot. Bland has been the Cowboys' best corner, and he matches up well with Sutton.
The Broncos will need to get Sutton matched up on Elam and look to their top receiver to help sustain drives.
Troy Franklin vs. Bland/Stewart
The past few games have been rough for Franklin, as the Broncos have faced more man coverage, which is something he struggles with. However, the Cowboys are a predominantly zone coverage defense, and Franklin does well at finding openings to become a target.
While Bland is a tough corner, and the best one on the Cowboys, it's likely he finds himself on the boundary with Diggs missing the game with a concussion. That would put Franklin on Reddy Stewart, who has been decent enough, but the Broncos should be able to attack the Cowboys' defense here.
So far, Stewart has allowed 14 of his 16 targets to be caught while averaging 4.6 yards of separation allowed to whoever he is covering. What's more, Stewart has some issues finishing plays and is allowing a good amount of yardage after the catch, which is another area the Broncos can use Franklin to exploit.
Broncos O-Line vs. Cowboys' D-Line
While this isn’t an individual matchup, it is the crucial one. The Broncos' offensive line hasn't started as hot as it did last year, especially in the running game.
However, the Cowboys' defensive front is the worst in the NFL. The Broncos should win consistently in the trenches, but that's on paper, and there is a reason games are played.
The Broncos can’t let the Cowboys' defensive line have a get-right game against them, especially with how terrible a unit they have been. The Broncos should be able to open running lanes for the backs and keep pressure off Nix to make the reads and throws that are needed to win this game and get a consistent offensive performance.
Essentially, the Broncos' offensive line needs to use this game as a get-right performance to iron out the wrinkles they have had over the first seven games, as they have some much tougher matchups coming up in the games that follow.
The issues with the Cowboys' defensive front extend beyond the line to their edge defenders and linebackers as well. If the Broncos can’t get a run game going in this one, it might be safe to say they won't happen this season.
Nix vs. Eberflus
It has not been the lights-out season many expected from Nix, where many of the issues he needed to improve on after his rookie campaign remain unresolved seven weeks in. The Broncos need him to figure it out and play more consistently, though the offensive issues are not all on the quarterback this season.
One of those areas is working the middle of the field, not only to help the screen game, as I highlighted recently, but also to help the offense as a whole. This is a good game for Nix to emphasize that, as Matt Eberflus’ defenses are typically susceptible to attacks over the middle of the field.
What's more, when you look at where the Cowboys' defense is lacking, the middle of the field becomes even more open to attack.
Eberflus has not been the defensive mind he was once applauded for being, but that doesn’t mean he can’t put together a good game and get his unit hot for the matchup. Nix, with the help of Sean Payton and the rest of the offense, needs to make sure that happens.
However, Nix is highlighted here because the best way to attack the Cowboys' defense is in an area where the Broncos' quarterback has struggled, even in college. He can work the quick game, he can work it outside, but can he attack the 10-19-yard range in the middle of the field, and finally connect on those deep shots?
Denver needs Nix to figure that out, and the Cowboys are a good opportunity to do just that.
Eagles WR A.J. Brown Gets Clear Message From Owner Jeffrey Lurie
The Philadelphia Eagles are heading toward the NFL trade deadline on Nov. 4 with a lot of questions surrounding the immediate future of disgruntled star wide receiver A.J. Brown, who continues to express his discontent with the role he’s playing with the team during the 2025 campaign.
Brown has let his feelings be known publicly and, at times, cryptically, leading some to wonder whether the Eagles will grow tired of his act and trade him. The star wideout’s value will never be higher, and it could be argued that the storied franchise should look into trading him ahead of the deadline.
However, the team seems to be adamant about holding onto the 28-year-old wide receiver, with a little more than a week to go before the NFL trade deadline.
Eagles Owner Sends Clear Message on A.J. Brown Trade Rumors
GettyA.J. Brown #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles.
It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Brown forces the Eagles to trade him or at least ask the team to move him before the deadline on Nov. 4. Team owner Jeffrey Lurie was recently asked by Dianna Russini of The Athletic what he would do if Brown came to him to ask him to be traded.
“We do what’s best for the team,” he said. “We don’t even consider it seriously unless it’s best for the Eagles. We will always do what gives us the best chance of winning big. Everything else is secondary.”
This seems like a typical response from a team owner and someone who makes these kinds of big decisions with star players every year.
However, Lurie didn’t exactly say no, so there’s a chance a deal comes to fruition before the NFL trade deadline.
Should Eagles Consider Trading A.J. Brown?
Title-contending teams in the NFL have little room for error over the course of the season, as they need as many things to go smoothly as possible. That said, disgruntled star players are something that these title contenders never want to deal with, but that’s what the Eagles have with Brown.
With head coach Nick Sirianni, general manager Howie Roseman and Lurie running a tight ship in Philadelphia, it is a bit surprising they aren’t urgently trying to figure out how to eliminate this locker-room distraction.
“We encourage it. We want different personalities,” Lurie said. “Sometimes, in trades or in free agency, we’ll bring people in that complement those that we have. They’re different on purpose. We don’t want sameness.”
Lurie was also asked about why the Eagles franchise always seems to have some conflict during the NFL season.
“It’s not conflict. It’s intensity,” Lurie said. “The players respect it. I like intensity. The players are intense. Howie’s intense, I’m intense, the coach is intense. Every week, every situation, we approach it with intensity.”
It’ll be interesting to see what the Eagles do ahead of the NFL trade deadline: whether they move Brown or keep pushing forward with the current squad in hopes of pulling off the repeat.
