Down by three scores, the Dallas Cowboys needed to get a good drive to start off the second half. Dak Prescott was faced with a third and three near midfield and was nearly sacked, but was able to break free for a 10 yard scramble into Denver Broncos territory.
With Pat Surtain II out to start the half, the Cowboys began looking the way of George Pickens with Kris Abrams-Draine in coverage. The drive would stall on a third and eight on a slant to Ceedee Lamb, but the Cowboys elected to go for it on fourth
and two. Prescott found Pickens wide open inside the 10 yard line with Abrams-Draine too far away to do much about it.
That would result in a touchdown for the Cowboys to keep the pressure on the Broncos offense.
Broncos 27, Cowboys 17.
A few more defensive pass interference calls on Riley Moss aided the drive. One looked legit, the other looked like a nonsense call.
Marvin Mims Jr. took the kickoff back for a huge return into Cowboys territory. The 47-yard return set Denver up at the Cowboys 46 yard line.
JK Dobbins then broke free outside for a 25-yard gain to put Denver near the red zone on their first play. Back to back runs from there would setup a third and three for Denver. Bo Nix would find Courtland Sutton wide open in the back of the end zone for the touchdown, but they called Adam Trautman for the pick play pass interference.
Nix would go right back to Sutton on a deep slant, but the ball would bounce right off Sutton’s chest for a terrible dropped pass that would have been a touchdown. That drop would bring Wil Lutz out to add a field goal that increased the Broncos lead to 13.
Broncos 30, Cowboys 17.
The Cowboys next series had an interesting call on the field after Alex Singleton forced a fumble that was apparently recovered by Ja’Quan McMillian, but the officials decided the Cowboys recovered it even though it looked like the guy just had his hands on the ball with McMillian wrapped around it.
It all worked out in the end with the Cowboys punting it away, but the call was still odd.
Bo Nix and the Broncos offense got off to a good start with a first down throw to Courtland Sutton and then a pitch outside to Marvin Mims Jr. went for nine. JK Dobbins would secure the first down up the middle on the next play to bring the third quarter to a close.
