They weren’t alone, since even diehard Broncos boosters were just as surprised.
True, the Cowboys haven’t beaten the Broncos since 1995, when Troy Aikman was still quarterbacking games rather than calling them from the broadcast booth. But the Cowboys have been touted as a legitimate Super Bowl contender this year, while the Broncos have proven their ability to defeat cupcakes such as the New York Giants, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets and the Washington Football Team (barely), but did a great impression of roadkill when facing decent outfits such as the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns. Indeed, much of the debate at 104.3 The Fan in the week leading up to the Dallas game was whether Denver could actually manage a single victory against a team that, on paper, the Broncos shouldn’t have been able to defeat — and most pundits leaned toward “no.”
Fortunately, the Cowboys did everything they could to boost the Broncos’ chances — such as joining the analytics-driven trend to go for it in fourth-and-short situations rather than kicking a field goal, only to fail repeatedly. As a result, Dallas, which should have been buoyed by the return of starting QB Dak Prescott, didn’t score a single point until fourth-quarter garbage time.
As for the Broncos, they stumbled in some of their usual ways, such as letting signal-caller Teddy Bridgewater get sacked four times and winding up in third-and-long scenarios far too often. But during this contest, Denver managed to pick up more first downs than usual thanks to a revived running attack (Javonte Williams gained 111 yards, while Melvin Gordon chipped in with eighty) and some timely catches by Jerry Jeudy, who’s finally starting to justify his potential. In addition, Bridgewater actually completed not one, but two passes of forty yards or more — and one of them, to the criminally underrated Tim Patrick, actually traveled most of the way in the air. Moreover, the defense, led by rookie Jonathon Cooper, showed no evidence of being crippled by the decision to ship Von Miller to the Los Angeles Rams.
True, the Broncos suffered a number of concerning injuries to the likes of right tackle Bobby Massie, defensive lineman McTelvin Agim, guard Graham Glasgow and secondary star Pat Surtain II. But the mere fact that the Broncos are over .500 (at 5-4) past the midpoint of the season seems like a miracle.
Cowboys fans wouldn’t put it that way.
Here are our picks for the maddest, craziest and funniest tweets about the Broncos’ W, complete with a nod to Ted Lasso and plenty of references to believing — or not believing.
Number 20:
To quote the great Jack Buck…”I don’t believe what I just saw.” Go Broncos!!! pic.twitter.com/imPleGWQRO
— bigdawgsportstalk (@bigdawgsportst1) November 7, 2021
Number 19:
i can’t believe that we fucking lost against the broncos pain pic.twitter.com/C9NqSvjLUZ
— sindi!| 6-2 (@sashaftdak) November 7, 2021
Number 18:
Browns
Falcons
Ravens
Giants
Jags
Dolphins
BroncosI CANT BELIEVE IT
— JSJ (@MoveMakerr) November 7, 2021
Number 17:
Cowboys played like shit I still can’t believe they let the bum ass broncos beat them smh !
— Snowman (@da_snowman1) November 8, 2021
Number 16:
Shocked. And confused. Make it stop!
— Melissa G (@melissag1522) November 7, 2021
Number 15:
The Broncos are a half-game out of first place.
They’re “in the hunt.”
Save the realism for another day.
Tonight, it’s OK to believe. pic.twitter.com/YvaWgwRaMs
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) November 8, 2021
Number 14:
Just now seeing the highlights , I can’t believe we let the Broncos have they way like that
— FiftyK (@Fifty_Kyle) November 8, 2021
Number 13:
I’ve never been this shocked about a Broncos game.
— Vince (@vincedowd_) November 7, 2021
Number 12:
This was so unreal. I didn’t believe the Broncos would play as well as they did. What a fool I am. https://t.co/lKuJKWVxyf
— sleepyman.art (@SleepymanA) November 7, 2021
Number 11:
I still can’t believe we played like we did today at home against the fucking 4-4 Broncos. I’ve never started making a drink that early before.
— Eddy Hinojosa (@StickStickly150) November 8, 2021
Number 10:
Can’t believe the Cowboys lost to the fucking broncos.
— Experiment 626 (@J_Heedless) November 8, 2021
Number 9:
I’m literally a Broncos fan and I had 0 hope (as usual) with them and I’m so shocked LMFAOOOO
— Voltron. (@worstprofile) November 8, 2021
Number 8:
I live in Denver and I can’t believe it. The Broncos have not been good against good teams until today
— michael purdy (@michaelpurdy7) November 7, 2021
Number 7:
I honestly can’t believe the Broncos beat the Cowboys
— Colton (@coltonisbaked) November 7, 2021
Number 6:
I can’t believe that…and the Broncos almost shut us out entirely at home…boy oh boy the headlines would’ve been CRAZIER then…
— Izzy (6-2) (@eadyIofficial) November 7, 2021
Number 5:
I can’t believe they let the Broncos come in there like that.
— Pfizerlina (@NoFlexBucks) November 7, 2021
Number 4:
I can’t believe the Cowboys are getting beat by the Denver Broncos. pic.twitter.com/Ct5p24pHdd
— Christine Lambe (@TXblondegrad) November 7, 2021
Number 3:
Most annoying fan base in the NFL: Dallas Cowboys
Knowing the broncos disrespected and shocked them in their own stadium has me feeling like: pic.twitter.com/9yss3MEuaV
— Psalmbody Once Told Me (@TheNumberNine) November 8, 2021
Number 2:
The Broncos simply took us to the woodshed and didnt relent for 4 quarters. Dak looked a bit slow and the Oline didnt perform as expected.. The noon start blues ?? I dont know but seems plausible..
— DAdams71 (@Adams71D) November 8, 2021
Number 1:
Broncos beat Cowgirls 30-16 today. After being 10 point underdogs.
Remember you can manifest anything as long as you believe in it!
Goodnight #BroncosCountry have a nice #VictoryMonday tommorow! https://t.co/yvJ4zDk7xl
— Alex Carmona-Perez (@AlexCarmonaPer2) November 8, 2021