Last season, Derrick White had four games with at least 20 field goal attempts. With a team-high 20 FGA on Wednesday night, he reached that mark in game one against the Sixers.
Patrick Surtain II Sends Message Ahead of Matchup With Cowboys’ High-Powered Offense
Posted October 24, 2025
The Denver Broncos are gearing up for what many inside the building believe is their toughest defensive test yet. 
Fresh off a stunning fourth-quarter comeback win over the Giants, Denver’s defense now faces
Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys, one of the NFL’s top-ranked offenses.
As Mile High Sports noted, superstar cornerback Patrick Surtain II didn’t mince words when discussing the challenge.
“They nearly lead the league in all the passing numbers,” Surtain said. “They’re balanced, too, strong in the run game and efficient in the air. It’s going to be a pretty good challenge.”
At 5-2, the Broncos are one of the league’s stingiest defenses, but Sunday’s matchup against a Dallas offense averaging nearly 400 yards per game will test that identity.
But Surtain made it clear this week that Denver isn’t backing down:
“They’ve got playmakers everywhere,” Surtain said of Dallas’ receiving corps. “CeeDee [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 we’re up against.”
Surtain’s confidence mirrors the tone across Denver’s locker room:
“They’re pretty efficient,” Surtain added. “They nearly lead the league in all the passing numbers, and they can run it, too. It’s going to be a great challenge, but this is what we live for as competitors.”
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.
Denver’s defense, however, has been equally elite.
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).
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 what’s at stake:
“He’s [Prescott] a guy who can make a lot of things happen in the pocket,” Bonitto said. “We’ve got to make life easy for the DBs this week.”
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.
Denver’s Secondary Proving It’s Among the NFL’s Best
While the pass rush has stolen headlines, Denver’s secondary has quietly become the backbone of the defense.
Surtain continues to shadow top receivers, while Moss, often targeted as the “other” 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 corner’s resilience:
“[He’s] playing outstanding,” Payton said. “He’s getting a lot of targets, but he’s on to the next play every time.”
That next-play mentality will be critical against an elite Dallas receiving corps led by
CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
With Denver’s defense leading the NFL in sacks and Dallas’ offense ranking near the top in almost every metric, Sunday’s matchup is shaping up as a heavyweight battle between the league’s best offense and the league’s best defense.
“It’s going to be fun,” Surtain said with a grin after practice. “That’s what you play this game for, to face the best.”
Derrick White’s Opening Night was a prelude to something bigger
This wasn’t White’s most prolific shooting night, but it’s a sign that he’s ready to accept more responsibility. There was a level of persistence that he showed as well — staying aggressive despite the misses. Boston no longer has the luxury of allowing him to take a backseat if the shot isn’t falling, and he looks completely aware of that.
Out of White’s seven makes, six of them were unassisted. With more attention from the defense, it’s encouraging that his impact was tied directly to self-creation. He was off the mark on a few easy looks, but those will start to fall eventually. If he can continue to get to his spots with this level of success against tougher defensive teams, his time as the #2 option will be eye-opening.
White and Jaylen Brown paced the Celtics with 25 apiece in their debut as Batman and Robin. Brown had a more methodical approach, while White was a gunslinger with a quick trigger. Even though he led the team in shot attempts, they would’ve been better off if he kept shooting.
After drilling this pull-up with 6:30 left, White took only two more shots as the Celtics’ lead slipped away. He had a pair of assists to a rolling Neemias Queta in that stretch, but faded when the game clock dipped under two minutes.
In moments like that he’ll have to get comfortable calling his own number, even when sharing the floor with capable scorers. This is part of the adjustment stage into a new role — striking the right balance between being assertive vs. deferential. His shot profile proved that he understands what’s being asked of him, and he should grow into it as the year goes on.
That’s one of the hidden blessings for this season. White has the freedom to improve in a more striking way, compared to the subtle refinement you’d expect from a player in their ninth year. Keep in mind, the most field goal attempts he’s ever had in a year is 12.6 per game. He might not hit 20 every night, but he’s going to cross that mark more than ever.
Boston struggled to contain the Sixers guards — Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe — and while Maxey got the better of White a few times, he held Edgecombe to 2/7 from the field when matched up. White also picked up a steal and one of his signature rejections at the rim.
The fact that White can scale up offensively, while remaining impactful on defense is a strong indication he’s going to settle into this role with ease. His All-Star case might actually make itself if he approximates the standard All-Defensive output, while averaging over 20 points a night.
White has to get comfortable with being outside his comfort zone. He’s always been a star in his role, but now that role comes with more visibility on the scouting report — and more influence on Boston’s success. The Celtics will rise or fall depending on how much he steps up, and based on Opening Night, it’s a challenge he looks ready for.
While his unbeaten Opening Night record came to an end, the performance itself felt like a prelude to something bigger.
He’ll be tested again quickly, with a matchup against a familiar foe in Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks. I’m not sure if Amazon Prime counts as a national TV, but there will naturally be a lot of eyes on this one—an early opportunity to prove he belongs in conversations about the best guards in the East.
