When people talk about the greatest rivalries in football, they usually point to the divisional bloodbaths. You think of the Bears and Packers or the Cowboys and the Eagles. But honestly, the Denver Broncos Dallas Cowboys matchup has this weird, simmering energy that doesn't make sense on paper. They play each other once every four years. They aren't in the same conference. Yet, every time the schedule makers circle this game, fans in the Mountain Time Zone and the Lone Star State get a little louder.
It’s about the "America's Team" label.
Denver fans have always had a massive chip on their shoulder about the Cowboys. Back in the 70s and 80s, while Dallas was the national darling with the star on the helmet, the Broncos were building a fanatical, sell-out-streak-holding base that felt overlooked by the East Coast and Texas media. When these two teams meet, it isn't just a game. It's a clash of cultures. It's the high-altitude grit of the Rockies against the glitz and glamour of Jerry World.
The 1977 Super Bowl That Started Everything
You can't talk about the Denver Broncos Dallas Cowboys history without starting at Super Bowl XII. This was the moment the rivalry—if you can call it that back then—really solidified. It was Denver’s first-ever trip to the big game. The "Orange Crush" defense was a legitimate phenomenon. People in Colorado were literally painting their houses orange.
Then they ran into the Doomsday Defense.
It was a nightmare for Denver. Craig Morton, who had actually played for Dallas before coming to the Broncos, had a horrific afternoon. He went 4-of-15 for 39 yards and threw four interceptions. The Cowboys didn't just win; they suffocated the Broncos 27-10. For Dallas, it was another trophy in the cabinet. For Denver, it was a scar. It took twenty years for the Broncos to finally get their first ring, but that 1977 loss stayed in the collective memory of the city. It established the Cowboys as the "big brother" that Denver desperately wanted to topple.
The 51-48 Shootout: When Defense Went to Die
Fast forward to October 6, 2013. If you didn't watch this game live, you missed maybe the most entertaining regular-season game in NFL history. This is the Denver Broncos Dallas Cowboys game everyone mentions when they want to argue about Tony Romo’s legacy or Peyton Manning’s greatness.
✨ Don't miss: Simona Halep and the Reality of Tennis Player Breast Reduction
Manning was in the middle of his record-breaking 55-touchdown season. He was a surgeon. But Tony Romo? Romo played the game of his life. He threw for 506 yards and five touchdowns. At one point, it felt like neither team would ever punting again. The score was tied at 48 late in the fourth quarter.
Then, the "Romo moment" happened.
Under heavy pressure, Romo threw an interception to Danny Trevathan. It set up a short Matt Prater field goal, and Denver escaped with a 51-48 win. People still blame Romo for that loss, which is kind of wild considering he put up nearly 50 points. It showed the fundamental difference between the two franchises at the time: Denver found a way to win the ugly moments, and Dallas found a way to let them slip.
The Weird Dominance of the Broncos
Here is a stat that most people get wrong or simply don't believe: The Broncos have absolutely owned the Cowboys for the last quarter-century. Since 1995, Dallas has struggled to find a way past Denver.
Think about that.
The Cowboys are global icons. They have some of the highest-paid rosters in sports. But for some reason, the orange and blue jersey acts like kryptonite to the star. In 2017, Trevor Siemian—hardly a Hall of Famer—led Denver to a 42-17 blowout where Ezekiel Elliott was held to a career-low 8 yards on 9 carries. Then in 2021, a struggling Broncos team went into AT&T Stadium as huge underdogs and embarrassed Dak Prescott in a 30-16 win that wasn't even as close as the score suggested.
🔗 Read more: NFL Pick 'em Predictions: Why You're Probably Overthinking the Divisional Round
Why does this happen?
Some analysts, like those at The Athletic or Pro Football Focus, suggest it’s a schematic mismatch. Denver has historically favored strong secondary play and edge rushing, which happens to be the best way to neutralize the Cowboys' pass-heavy offensive schemes. Others think it’s psychological. Denver plays with a "nothing to lose" intensity against Dallas that the Cowboys sometimes fail to match.
How to Bet the Denver Broncos Dallas Cowboys Matchup
If you're looking at this matchup from a gambling or fantasy perspective, there are specific trends that hold water.
- The Altitude Factor: When Dallas travels to Denver, the conditioning gap is real. The Cowboys rely on explosive speed. In the thin air of Empower Field at Mile High, that speed usually gasses out by the mid-third quarter. Look for Denver to cover second-half spreads at home.
- The Underdog Value: Historically, Denver is often the underdog in this matchup due to the "Cowboys Tax"—the fact that public betting always inflates Dallas’s lines.
- Player Props: In recent matchups, the "star" receivers for Dallas often get bracketed by Denver’s corners. If you're playing DFS, look at the Cowboys' tight ends or RB dump-offs. Denver's defensive philosophy under various coordinators has often dared the QB to check it down rather than go deep.
Looking Forward: The Modern Era
As we look at the current rosters, the Denver Broncos Dallas Cowboys dynamic is shifting again. Denver is in a rebuilding phase, trying to find stability after the post-Peyton Manning carousel. Dallas is perpetually in "win now" mode, dealing with the massive contracts of their core stars.
The gap in talent fluctuates, but the intensity doesn't.
For the Broncos, the Cowboys represent the gold standard of marketing—a standard they want to beat on the field to prove they belong in that elite tier of "blue blood" franchises. For the Cowboys, Denver is a pesky thorn in their side, a reminder that titles aren't won on jersey sales or social media followers.
💡 You might also like: Why the Marlins Won World Series Titles Twice and Then Disappeared
Honestly, the league is better when both these teams are good. The colors pop on screen. The fan bases are loud. The history is rich. Even if they only see each other twice a decade, the weight of 1977 and the insanity of 2013 still hang over the stadium.
What You Should Do Next
If you want to truly understand the pulse of this matchup before the next kickoff, start by watching the "NFL Throwback" highlights of the 2013 game. Pay attention to the pocket movement of Manning versus the improvisation of Romo.
Then, keep an eye on the injury reports regarding the offensive lines. Both these teams historically rely on "zone blocking" or high-level protection to function. If Denver’s edge rushers are healthy and Dallas is missing a tackle, history suggests the Broncos will likely continue their weird winning streak, regardless of who is playing quarterback.
Check the defensive coordinator hires. Denver’s success against Dallas has almost always been tied to a "no-fly zone" mentality. If the Broncos have a top-10 secondary, the Cowboys' offense usually sputters. Conversely, if Dallas can establish a power run game—something they've struggled to do against Denver recently—the tide might finally turn back toward Big D.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Watch the Secondary: In any Denver-Dallas game, the matchup between Dallas's WR1 and Denver's lead corner usually decides the game.
- History Matters: Don't ignore the Broncos' winning streak over Dallas when looking at betting lines; it's a psychological hurdle for the Cowboys.
- Check the Location: Home-field advantage is more pronounced in this specific matchup than in almost any other non-divisional pairing due to the 5,280-foot elevation change.