Broncos Report Card: Only special teams keeps team from straight A’s

OFFENSE

AThe Broncos posted season highs in points (30), rushing yards (190) and time of possession (41:12). They also did great work on third down (8 of 15) and in the red zone (2 of 3) and hit for big plays of 30, (Javonte Williams rush), 40 (Kendall Hinton reception) and 44 (Tim Patrick touchdown catch) yards. They did all this with only one starting offensive lineman (center Lloyd Cushenberry) still playing at the end of the game. The run game was punishing. Williams finished with 111 yards on 17 attempts and Melvin Gordon churned out 80 yards on 21 rushes. Teddy Bridgewater played turnover-free, completing 19 of 28 passes for 249 yards and a 107.6 rating. The Broncos should be encouraged by Jerry Jeudy’s six catches for 69 yards and using him on quick passes.

DEFENSE

ADallas entered with the NFL’S best offense in terms of yards per game (454.9), but the Cowboys didn’t score until garbage time, touchdowns with 4:08 and :55 remaining. Two early fourth-down stops set the tone and the defense also forced Dallas into 5-of-13 work on third down. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, in his return from a calf injury, tried to keep plays alive but was only 19-of-39 passing. Rookie outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper had the first two sacks of his NFL career, safety Kareem Jackson made a teamhigh nine tackles and safety Caden Sterns intercepted his second pass of the year. Running back Ezekiel Elliott was limited to 51 yards on 10 carries and the receiver duo of Ceedee Lamb and Amari Cooper had two catches apiece.

SPECIAL TEAMS

DAs Fangio said afterward, “Our special teams took the day off.” That’s putting it lightly. Brandon Mcmanus missed his first point-after attempt of the season and was wide right on a 53-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter that would have stretched the Broncos’ lead to 22-0. Mcmanus was good from 53 (season-best), 27 and 42 yards. Dallas’ Tony Pollard opened the game with a 54-yard kick return. Punter Sam Martin averaged 31.3 yards on three attempts. What saved the Broncos from an F was giving up a blocked punt in the third quarter … but coming away with a fresh set of downs when a Cowboys player touched it past the line of scrimmage.

COACHING

A

In his 35th game as the Broncos’ coach, Fangio may have had his best day. His offense was down four starting linemen by the start of the fourth quarter. No matter. Starting cornerbacks Pat Surtain II and Ronald Darby didn’t finish the game. No matter. And the Broncos were playing the hottest offense in pro football. No matter. The Cowboys simply had no answers for the Broncos and who would have imagined that when the game started? In a week in which Von Miller was traded, prompting chatter about looking ahead to 2022, Fangio kept his team in the moment and focused on man-handling the Cowboys.