Stop the run and you stop the Broncos.
In swapping out Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler for Kyle Orton in 2009, Denver has become a run-first team under first-year coach Josh McDaniels. The Correll Buckhalter-Knowshon Moreno tandem has given Denver the NFL's fourth-best rushing attack and first place in the AFC West at 3-0.
Buckhalter has rushed 31 times for 230 yards and Moreno 46 times for 184 yards. Their legs have allowed the Broncos to control the ball almost 32 minutes per game. Orton averages 29 passes per game. The league average is almost 34 passes per game.
Moreno is a rookie, so he's new to the Cowboys. He has the size (5-11, 217) to run between the tackles. He was an all-SEC back at Georgia last season when he averaged 5.6 yards per carry and scored 16 touchdowns.
But the Cowboys know Buckhalter. He spent the last eight seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles before moving to Denver in free agency during the off-season.
Sunday will be Buckhalter's first start against the Cowboys, but he's already had considerable success against them with games of 115, 99 and 63 yards coming off the bench.
The Eagles used Buckhalter to spell Brian Westbrook because he brought a different style. Westbrook dances on the perimeter. Buckhalter has the size (6-0, 223) to run inside. He has averaged almost 5.6 yards per carry against the Cowboys with four touchdowns in 68 career carries.
The Cowboys haven't been hurt on the ground by their three opponents. But they haven't exactly slammed the door shut, either. Tampa Bay's Carnell Williams averaged 7.5 yards (97 yards on 13 carries) in the opener, and Carolina's DeAngelo Williams averaged 5.8 yards (64 yards on 11 carries) Monday night. The Cowboys won both games.
If the Cowboys hold Buckhalter and Moreno under 100, they should collect victory No. 3 on Sunday.