News: BTB: Five Bold Predictions, Cowboys and Broncos style

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Welcome to Week 2, where the Cowboys and Broncos play, let’s get bold.

Remember back when we had no football in our lives? Those days are long gone as we already even have a game/victory in the rearview mirror.

Week 2, the Sunday version, kicks off today and part of the smorgasbord is the Cowboys visiting the Broncos. This is a classic match-up, a Super Bowl re-match, and the meeting of unstoppable forces in terms of the Dallas o-line and Denver front seven.

What’s going to happen during this contest? Obviously a Cowboys win, but here we’re talking about what’s going to happen in terms of bold predictions. Let’s begin.

Nolan Carroll will lead the team in interceptions


On Saturday I planted a flag here at BTB, making me the unofficial president of the Nolan Carroll Fan Club. But there’s a big variable at play here, and it has nothing to do with Carroll himself.

Remember back to these two teams’ meeting four years ago. Peyton Manning had what is literally the greatest season a quarterback has ever had from a statistical perspective in 2013, and Tony Romo beat him on an October 6th day, but whatever.

Peyton Manning entered that day with zero interceptions on the season, until #24 Morris Claiborne stepped in. That’s right, Morris Claiborne drew first blood on the greatest quarterbacked season ever.

Additionally, the last time these two teams met in Denver there was some magic to the Cowboys #24. It was then two-four Marion Barber that led the Cowboys in rushing on that October 4th (2009).

Nolan Carroll wears #24.

DeMarcus Lawrence will have more sacks than Von Miller


There are a lot at factors in play on this one.

In Week 1 we saw Tank Lawrence have quite the game (cue the obligatory “he’s in a contract year!” talk). Now to be fair Lawrence was up against the New York Giants offensive line, which is like playing Madden on rookie mode.

Von Miller is arguably the game’s best pass rusher. He’s a Super Bowl MVP, and he’s not someone who should be questioned. For the first time in his career though, he’s taking on the Dallas Cowboys and their offensive line.

This is all simply a matter of Lawrence having a weaker obstacle to go through, and he likely will.

Dan Bailey will set a new career long


We discussed this earlier on Sunday here at BTB, but Dan Bailey is getting a huge advantage today when visiting the Denver Broncos... he’s going to be in Denver.

Three of four longest kicks in NFL history have happened in Denver. The higher altitude makes the air thinner, and increases the distance your average kicker can cover.

Play Dallas Cowboys Bingo all season long, courtesy of BTB’s OchoLive.

It is unlikely that the Cowboys will ever play in Denver again in Bailey’s career (their next visit is 2025). If he’s ever going to be one of the ones that uses the environment at Mile High to his advantage, today has to be the day.

If there’s anyone who we’re willing to bank on in terms of kicking, it’s Dan Bailey. Why shouldn’t we now?

Ryan Switzer will run a jet sweep


We finally got to see Ryan Switzer in action during the Cowboys Week 1 victory, albeit it exclusively in the kick/punt return game.

The Cowboys didn’t get Ryan Switzer involved offensively against the Giants, probably because they felt bad for them and didn’t want the game to be too much of an embarrassment. Those days are over.

During the days of training camp out in Oxnard, when the Lucky Whitehead drama was over, Ryan Switzer was seen running the patented jet sweeps the Cowboys love to run.

It’s time, Cowboys. Pull the chord. Unleash the jet sweep. Unleash the Switzer!

Terrance Williams will have a touchdown from at least 30 yards out


It was that fateful Romo/Manning duel back in October of 2013 when Terrance Williams legitimately introduced himself to Dallas Cowboys fans. His first touchdown came that day, as the Cowboys tried to claw back in the game.

Williams was hurt on the first play of the game in Week 1, but battled back like the team-first guy he is. At some point in the game, the Broncos are likely going to bite on play action because they’ve seen Ezekiel Elliott run enough times. That’s Terrance’s moment.

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