The Denver Broncos square off against the Dallas Cowboys this weekend in one of the premier gridiron matchups in Week 8. The Cowboys boast a formidable offense, but sport one of the worst defenses in the National
Football League. It won’t be easy, but if the Broncos play at a high level, they can certainly win their fifth-straight game and sixth of their 2025 campaign. Here are three players I believe need to play at a high level in order for the Broncos to come away with a victory on Sunday.
Riley Moss — Cornerback
A few players on the Broncos defense have gotten a lot of criticism this season. Alex Singleton comes to mind at inside linebacker. However, third-year cornerback Riley Moss has also been a player that has been floated as an underperformer or underachiever. He has had some bad penalties and given up a few big plays, but overall, he is a consistent performer on a week-to-week basis.
As we all know, Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph is aggressive in his scheme and has the utmost confidence in his cornerbacks to excel in man-to-man situations. The Broncos are running man coverage concepts higher than any other team in the NFL. That puts a lot of pressure on the secondary to perform at a high level.
I expect Patrick Surtain II to draw most of his coverage assignments going up against CeeDee Lamb. That means all eyes will be on Moss to go head-to-head against George Pickens who the Cowboys traded for this offseason. With Lamb missing several games due to injury, Pickens has been the top target for Dak Prescott to date. He is off to a ferocious start with 36 receptions for 607 yards and 6 touchdowns.
How Moss is able to fair against Pickens is easily the biggest individual matchup I’m interested in seeing transpire this weekend. They are both tough and physical players and it’s clear Prescott has already developed a great chemistry with Pickens. This may very well be Riley’s biggest challenge of the season thus far.
Troy Franklin — Wide Receiver
Last season, the Broncos’ passing attack wasn’t firing on cylinders for the early part of the season. Bo Nix and Courtland Sutton struggled to connect early on but ignited into one of the best QB-WR duos in the NFL after their bye week. That success has transferred into this season for most of the games, but Denver is still struggling to find out consistent complementary options in the passing game in ’25.
Against the Giants in Week 7, Nix targeted second-year wide receiver Troy Franklin ten times. Unfortunately, Franklin only came down with three grabs. Sutton leads the team with 50 targets this season, but Franklin is right behind him with 46. It’s clear that Head Coach Sean Payton is trying to find a way to get him involved to make an impact for the team. Unfortunately, the results to date have been less than favorable.
Since his Week 2 performance against the Indianapolis Colts, Franklin has had less than fifty yards receiving in four of the last five contests. This weekend, the Broncos are going up against a defense that has given up the most passing yards in the NFL. They may also be out several players in their secondary. I’m hoping that someone outside of Sutton can rise to the occasion and make some big plays in the passing game. Franklin is the player I’ll be watching the most.
Talanoa Hufanga — Safety
The Broncos have a storied tradition of players at the safety position who have proven to be transformative forces. Last year, Brandon Jones was easily one of the best outside additions the team made. This offseason, it’s no question Talanoa Hufanga has been the most impactful player Denver signed in free agency.
Hufanga’s ability to be a Swiss Army knife defender that’s as capable combating the pass as he is the run has helped take the Broncos’ defense to new heights this season. Going up against Prescott and the high-powered Cowboys offense will be a tough challenge. However, the savvy veteran’s football intelligence, toughness, and tenacity should have him primed to help slow down Dallas’ offense.
As Ross Allen discussing in his keys to victory, finding a way to generate some turnovers will be critical in order for the Broncos to achieve a win. If I had to peg a player that seems likely to do that, I’d throw Hufanga’s name out there as a player to watch. He has been an absolute treat to watch and has made some clutch plays in big moments. I’m hopeful he can do that again on Sunday.
