The Cowboys slipped by the Vikings without the services of Dak Prescott last week, but they need their star quarterback back to triumph over Denver.
Dallas’ 6-1 record has them sitting atop the NFC East by 2.5 games. That has the Cowboys in great shape to make the playoffs, but Dak Prescott and his teammates are dreaming of more than just postseason qualification.
Prescott’s health is going to be a big factor in his team’s short-term aspirations. He missed last week’s narrow win over Minnesota but believes he’s in the frame to play against Denver on Sunday afternoon. The Cowboys will find it difficult to get past Vic Fangio’s defense if their star quarterback isn’t healthy and on the field at kickoff.
Even if Prescott can’t go, Dallas has enough to squeak by the Broncos. Here are five bold predictions on how the Cowboys will capture their seventh victory.
5 predictions for the Cowboys-Broncos game
5. Micah Parsons will lead the team in tackles (again)
Parsons paced his defense with 11 tackles last week against Minnesota including four stops behind the line of scrimmage. There’s no reason to think his impact will diminish this week against Denver’s vanilla offensive attack.
Expect the Cowboys’ defensive coaching staff to scheme various ways to allow Parsons to attack Denver’s offensive line. They need him to be a dynamic playmaker. Dallas didn’t spend a premium draft pick on Parsons for him to simply soak up tackles in the middle of their defense.
Parsons’ outstanding rookie campaign will roll on against the Broncos. He’ll notch double-digit tackles again to lead his defense to victory.