2021 NFL picks, score predictions for Week 9

Denver Broncos (4-4) at Dallas Cowboys (6-1)

Sunday, November 7, 1PM ET

It came as a bit of a surprise that Dak Prescott sat out on Sunday night against the Minnesota Vikings. The Dallas Cowboys still won. With Prescott likely to return to the lineup in Week 9, the odds seem stacked against the Denver Broncos to pull off the upset.

Yes, the Broncos are coming off a solid win. Yes, their defense is among the better groups in the NFL. Unfortunately, their offense has struggled to get going over the last few weeks, as evidenced by the fact that they’ve only topped 20 points in a game once since Week 3. They can’t rely solely on their defense to win against a team like Dallas.

With Prescott back under center, the Cowboys rack up the offensive yards in bunches. Ezekiel Elliott gets going on the ground, and Prescott’s gaggle of outstanding receivers does their usual work. They aren’t going to run up the score against this Denver defense, but the fact that the Broncos offense often stalls isn’t going to help.

Teddy Bridgewater needs to have a big game if the Broncos are going to pull off the upset. I don’t see that happening, though, as the Cowboys extend their winning streak to seven games.

Prediction: Cowboys win 31-17 | Spread: Cowboys (-9.5)