DENVER — The Broncos looked good in their 1977 throwback uniforms.
And, man, did they play good.
In their fifth consecutive win, the Broncos posted their best offensive performance of the season and held an explosive Dallas offense in check to earn a 44-24 win.
Bo Nix and Co. scored six total touchdowns — including four in a five-drive stretch in the first half — as they posted their highest point total in Denver since 2014. Nix tied a career high with four passing touchdowns in the runaway win.
The Broncos' defense, meanwhile, stifled the Dallas offense for much of the game. Quarterback Dak Prescott, who recorded his lowest passer rating of the season, entered Sunday's game with four consecutive games with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Denver held him to no touchdowns and two interceptions.
Denver's rookies were particularly impressive, as running back RJ Harvey became the first Broncos rookie since 2002 to score three touchdowns in a game. Wide receiver Pat Bryant notched his first career touchdown, while cornerback Jahdae Barron snagged his first interception.
With the win, the Broncos maintained their lead in the AFC West and extended their league-leading active home win streak to nine games.
These were the players and plays that made the difference in the Broncos' Week 8 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
GAME-CHANGING MOMENT
The Broncos kept the pressure on throughout their Week 8 win, and there were several pivotal stops and scores throughout the afternoon. As early as the first three possessions, though, Denver grabbed the momentum. After Nix was picked off on the Broncos' first possession, Dallas marched the ball to the Denver goal line and held a second-and-goal at the 1-yard line. The NFL's No. 1 red-zone defense came up huge, as the unit held Prescott and Co. to a field goal. The Broncos responded with a five-play, 74-yard drive on the next possession to take the lead for good. The Cowboys would cut the lead to four points again later in the first half, but Denver remained ahead by double digits for the entirety of the second half. The early swing helped set the tone for a dominant Broncos win.
DEFINING STATISTIC
27.
There's any number of statistics to pick here, as the Broncos rushed for 180 yards, averaged north of 8.0 yards per play until the late stages of the game and posted their highest point total since 2018. We'll give the nod, though, to Denver's first-half offensive performance. A week after being shut out through the first three quarters, Denver scored 27 points in the opening half. The showing represented the Broncos' most first-half points at home since 2013 and their most in any game since 2019.
MEMORABLE HIGHLIGHT
The Broncos had a slew of impressive plays in Sunday's win, but rookie Pat Bryant's toe-tapping touchdown grab may have been the best. Late in the first half, the Broncos flawlessly executed a two-minute drive, marching 72 yards in a little more than 90 seconds to take a 27-10 halftime lead. Bryant's end-zone grab capped the first-half scoring, and Nix raced to grab the ball for Bryant to keep.
BOX-SCORE STANDOUTS
Wide receiver Troy Franklin recorded a pair of touchdowns, marking the first time in his career he's scored multiple touchdowns in a game.
Rookie running back RJ Harvey scored the first two rushing touchdowns of his career, including a 40-yarder that was the Broncos' longest rushing score since the final week of the 2021 season. He later added a receiving touchdown, becoming the first Broncos rookie since Clinton Portis to score three touchdowns in a game.
Rookie wide receiver Pat Bryant caught the first touchdown of his career via an acrobatic grab.
Rookie cornerback Jahdae Barron notched the first interception of his career to end the first half. Outside linebacker Dondrea Tillman added another late in the game.
Quarterback Bo Nix posted his best passer rating of the season as he completed 19-of-29 passes for 247 yards, four touchdowns, an interception and a 117.4 quarterback rating. His four touchdown passes were the most of the season by Nix and tied a career high.
Running back J.K. Dobbins crossed the 100-yard rushing mark for the second time this season.
