The Dallas Cowboys head into Denver for Week 8 looking to build on their momentum from last Sunday’s high-scoring win over the Washington Commanders, where they stacked up 44 points and kept Jayden Daniels and his offense in check at 22 points.

Dallas, now 3-3-1, faces a Broncos team riding a four-game winning streak and holding a 5-2 record. The challenge is clear: the Cowboys offense, ranked first in the league, has to maintain its pace against a Denver defense stacked with talent. But the bigger story coming into Sunday is that the Cowboys have accomplished a historic franchise feat. For the first time in Dallas’ 65 years, the team has recorded four consecutive games with at least one takeaway on defense and zero giveaways on offense.

It’s a streak that highlights not just the efficiency of Dak Prescott leading an explosive attack but also the discipline and opportunism of a defensive unit that has turned a corner after early-season struggles.​

Prescott has played seven games, completing 185 of 259 passes for a 71.4% completion rate, 1,881 yards, and 16 touchdowns. The three-time Pro Bowler now will be gunning for his fifth consecutive game with at least three touchdown passes without an interception, a feat that would match Russell Wilson’s 2015 Seattle Seahawks season.

However, the Cowboys’ offense will face a stiff test, though, as Denver’s defense will be led by edge duo Nik Bonitto (8) and Jonathon Cooper (6), who have combined for 14 sacks this season, with Bonitto leading the NFL in individual sacks. Adding on to this defense, Patrick Surtain is the reigning NFL defensive player of the year at cornerback. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix has been on a historic run with 11 passing touchdowns and 3 rushing touchdowns through seven games this season.

On the other hand, defensively, the Cowboys have glaring weaknesses that opponents and analysts have been targeting. Dallas is 30th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game at 141.3 yards and dead last in total receiving yards allowed at 260.3 yards per game.

Dallas center Cooper Beebe is still questionable to return after missing five games with a foot injury. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and rookie right tackle Tyler Booker both returned last week against Washington after each missed three games with high ankle sprains.

This Week 8 matchup carries weight for more than just the standings. The Cowboys have not beaten the Broncos since September 1995, when Dallas defeated Denver 31-21. Over the last 30 years, Dallas has lost seven straight to Denver, tied for the second-longest losing streak in club history. Can Dak Prescott finally deliver the payback Dallas has been waiting for?

Cowboys’ Dak Prescott is looking for redemption in Mile High

Dak Prescott remembers exactly how bad it felt. On September 17, 2017, the second-year quarterback took the Dallas Cowboys to Mile High looking to move to 2-0 after a solid Week 1 win over the Giants. Instead, he walked off the field bruised in more ways than one. Prescott completed 30 of 50 passes for 238 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions as Denver crushed Dallas 42-17.

Aqib Talib picked off one of his throws and returned it for a 103-yard pick-six with just 53 seconds left in the game, marking the largest margin Prescott had lost by in his young NFL career at that point.

“That was one was probably one of the uglier games of my career for sure,” Prescott said.

Year 1 had been magical. He won offensive rookie of the year in 2016 after his star-making season. Year 2 did not follow the same path.

Looking back on that 2017 season now, Prescott has thought a lot about why things changed so quickly. “I came in as a rookie and played so well that I was just telling the coaches, no knock to any of my coaches, but I almost didn’t get coached in the details of the position because I started off so hot. ‘Hey, don’t mess with him. Don’t ruin it…'” Prescott explained.

Fast forward eight years, and Prescott is in his 10th season in the league, playing some of the best football of his career.

“It’s what you play the game for,” Prescott said about the challenge. “Regardless if we were both first or not, it’s what you play the game from. Elite competition, an amazing environment where the fans are going to be loud. Our communication is going to be tested, the non-verbal part of it. Yeah, super excited. It’ll be a great one.”

According to Cowboys offensive coordinator Klayton Adams, Denver’s defense has forced the most third-and-eight situations of any team in the NFL this season. That means opposing offenses are struggling on first and second down, and Denver is dictating the game on early downs. For Dallas to win, Prescott and the Cowboys need to be efficient early.