Dallas' injury-plagued defense got picked apart by Nix, and the Cowboys' offensive line got pummeled by Denver's pass rush

Kristi Scales is the sideline reporter for the Dallas Cowboys Radio Network. She writes this column for The Dallas Morning News after each Cowboys game.

The Broncos (5-2) are set to welcome the Cowboys (3-3-1) in one of the most compelling matchups yet this season, as Denver's top-five defense aims to slow the Cowboys' potent offense. How to watch, listen to and live stream the Broncos' Week 8 home matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025.

With Juanyeh Thomas and Donovan Wilson both inactive, the Cowboys only had two active safeties against Denver, and got burned as a result. Two undrafted safeties got the start, with Alijah Clark and Markquese Bell getting the nod. Let's just say it wasn't pretty.

With starters Malik Hooker (toe) and Donovan Wilson (elbow/shoulder) out along with the primary backup Juanyeh Thomas (migraines), the Cowboys turned to Markquese Bell and undrafted rookie Alijah Clark. The Broncos took advantage of the inexperience on the back end and found five pass completions of 15 yards or more.

The Dallas Cowboys (3-3-1) visit the Denver Broncos (5-2) at Mile High Stadium Sunday with kickoff in Denver, Colorado, set for 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's NFL odds around the Cowboys vs. Broncos odds and make our expert NFL picks and predictions for the best bets.

After a great week of preparation and practice, the Denver Broncos were able to fire on all cylinders on offense against the Dallas Cowboys.

Cowboys coach reveals 1 big reason for Denver demolition originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. One thing we often hear in professional sports is "don't beat yourself," and by that, we mean don't make mistakes that put your team at a disadvantage.