Jerry Jones was convinced that this Dallas Cowboys team could make it to the playoffs. But they’re 3-4-1, sitting second in the NFC East (for now), coming off a humiliating 22-44 defeat against the Denver Broncos. And like most matchups, most of the blame can be pinned on the defense. And former Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin just ripped it to shreds.

Talking about the Cowboys’ loss on his official YouTube channel, Michael Irvin put the Dallas defense on notice. “There’s no freaking fu–ing way Dallas can stop anyone twice. If you get two stops a whole game with that defense, it’s a miracle. Once you get that one stop after you didn’t get a touchdown the first time, that was it. Bo Nix looked like Jon Elway,” he said.

Matt Eberflus’ defense has arguably been the worst in the league this season. After the first eight weeks, they rank second last in points allowed per game (31.3), yards allowed per game (404.6), passing yards allowed per game (258.6), and 29th in rushing yards allowed per game (146). And unless Jerry Jones pulls off some miracle trades before November 4, it could somehow get even worse.

And as low as the season has felt, the Broncos game might’ve been rock bottom. Dallas went into halftime down 27–10, made a little noise in the third quarter, and then completely fell apart in the fourth. Denver out-gained them 426 to 339 and looked in total control from the opening snap.

It was a depleted secondary, but injuries aren’t really an excuse for any team at this point. Denver just went after the weak spots mercilessly, torching them for 247 passing yards and 231 rushing yards while averaging 7.5 yards per play. According to PFSN’s “Defense Impact” metric, Dallas sits 30th in the NFL with a brutal 58.2 score and an “F” grade. And honestly, that feels generous.

According to ESPN writer Todd Archer, “Cowboys have allowed 250 points this season, 3rd-most through 8 games of a season in franchise history. They allowed 272 in 1960, the franchise’s first year, and 266 in 2020,” he wrote on X. They’re making history for the wrong reasons.

Bo Nix had the game of his career

The Dallas Cowboys’ defense quite literally made Bo Nix look like the 9x Pro Bowler Jon Elway. Against Dallas, he joined Broncos legends John Elway and Peyton Manning as the only QBs in franchise history to record at least three wins with four or more passing touchdowns. That’s elite company, and it came against a team that’s supposed to have Super Bowl ambitions.

While Dak Prescott, who’s been putting up MVP numbers this season, struggled to keep pace, Nix looked completely in command. He went 19-of-29 for 247 yards, four touchdowns, and one pick, finishing with a 117.4 passer rating. He turned what was supposed to be a battle between Denver’s defense and Dallas’ offense into his personal showcase.

Not long ago, people were questioning whether Nix was the man for Sean Payton’s offense, especially after that rough outing against the Chargers, where he threw for just 153 yards and completed barely over half his passes. But he’s bounced back in a big way, topping 230 passing yards in four of his last five games.

Eight games into this campaign, Nix has thrown for 1,803 yards and 15 touchdowns with a 91.0 passer rating. That puts him on pace for 32 TDs by season’s end. What was supposed to be a rebuilding year for Denver might just have revealed their future franchise QB.