Dallas Cowboys @ Denver Broncos
August 16th, 2008 - 7:00pm MST
Invesco Field @ Mile High
Denver, CO
To Follow The Week From The Cowboy's Perpective, Check Out Blogging The Boys!
The Broncos welcome the Dallas Cowboys to Denver for a week of fun and frolic in the Colorado sun leading up to Saturday's pre-season game, the second for each team, with both looking for their first win.
The Broncos and Cowboys will practice a total of four times together during a two-day period on Wednesday and Thursday at Denver’s training facility leading up to Saturday’s game. It marks the second consecutive year that the two clubs will practice together leading up to a preseason game. Last season, Denver practiced four times (two-day period) with Dallas at its training facility in Irving, Texas, before playing the Cowboys in Week 2 of the preseason (31-20 Dallas win). That game led to some bad blood, at least on the Broncos side, for how hard the game was played. It will be interesting to see if there is any carry-over, though I believe both team have enough to worry about than some pre-season game last year
This year marks the fifth time under Head Coach Mike Shanahan (1995-Pres.) that the Broncos will practice with another club in the preseason. In addition to last year against Dallas, Denver has worked out with the Texans in Houston (2003, ‘05) as well as with the Panthers in Greeley, Colo. (1996) during the preseason.
The combined final regular-season record of those Broncos teams that practiced with another club in the preseason was 43-21 (.672).
BRONCOS IN HOME PRE-SEASON OPENERS
The Broncos own a 27-18 (.600) all-time record in preseason home openers and will look to improve that mark on Saturday against the Cowboys.
Since 1987, Denver is 16-5 (.762) in its first home preseason game of the year. The club is 11-3 (.786) in preseason home openers since 1994, winning a club-record eight such contests in a row from 1994-2001.
Mike Shanahan has guided the Broncos to a 10-3 (.769) record in preseason home openers as head coach (1995-Pres.).
The Broncos' first preseason opener was played in 1963. The club did not play a home preseason game during its first three years (1960-62).
The Broncos and Cowboys have met 12 times in the Pre-Season, with each team winning 6. Here is a breakdown of the last 5 match-ups --
DENVER 20, at DALLAS 31 (Aug. 18/2007) --
After practicing a total of four times with the Cowboys at their training facility, the Broncos drop a 31-20 decision to Dallas at Texas Stadium... Broncos WR Brian Clark's 90-yard touchdown reception off a throw from QB Patrick Ramsey in the third quarter marked the third-longest receiving touchdown by a Bronco in club preseason history... QB Jay Cutler (7-of-13, 58 yds.) played the entire first half for Denver before Ramsey (10-of-17, 169 yds., 2 TDs) saw action at the position for all but the Broncos' final two series when he was replaced by QB Darrell Hackney... CB Dré Bly records his first interception as a Bronco while rookie DE Jarvis Moss posts the first sack of his career (QB Tony Romo).
DENVER 20, at DALLAS 6 (Aug. 11, 2001) --
The Broncos take a 13-0 halftime lead in en route to their victory against the Cowboys... Denver CB Jason Suttle scores on a 48-yard interception return in the fourth quarter... Broncos QB Gus Frerotte registers a 121.1 passer rating by completing 11-of-14 passes for
103 yards with one touchdown.
at DENVER 36, Dallas 23 (Aug. 19, 2000) --
Broncos WRs Rod Smith and Travis McGriff each post five receptions...Dallas QB Clint Stoerner scores on a 50-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter... Broncos DE Harald Hasselbach registers a safety with a sack late in the game... The Broncos defeat the Cowboys despite converting only 1-of-10 third-down attempts.
at DALLAS 22, DENVER 12 (Aug. 29, 1999) --
Dallas takes a 20-0 halftime lead and extends its lead to 22-0 with a Dat Nguyen safety on a sack early in the third quarter... The Broncos score their only points of the contest on two Brian Griese touchdown passes in the final period, including a 35-yard strike to WR Travis McGriff... Fourteen different Broncos record at least one
reception.
DENVER 20, at DALLAS 3 (Aug. 17, 1996) --
The Broncos limit the Cowboys to a 1.2-yard rushing average (16 carries for 19 yards) for the game and hold Dallas RB Emmitt Smith to 11 yards on seven carries... The Broncos do not allow a single third-down conversion by Dallas (0-for-11)... QBs John Elway and Bill Musgrave each throw one touchdown pass and K Jason Elam connects on two field goals for the Broncos... Denver TE Dwayne Carswell catches a game-high six passes for 56 yards.
That should get you started on what should be a great week of dual-practices.