The Denver Broncos in Week 8 beat the Dallas Cowboys. It was a dominating victory, beating a tough Cowboys team 44-24, getting the Broncos to 6-2 on the year.
Patrick Surtain II and the defense came to play, but unfortunately for Denver, they will be without the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, as Surtain is dealing with a pectoral strain. He could land on injured reserve, as he’s projected to be out around four weeks.
While losing Surtain is a huge blow, fortunately for the Broncos, the defense still has a number one cornerback on the roster. As ESPN analyst Ben Solak pointed out, Riley Moss, the Broncos’ normal number two cornerback, is playing at CB1 levels this season.
Why Broncos still have a No.1 CB with Patrick Surtain II out
Moss is the number two outside cornerback for Denver, and while Surtain garners all of the positive attention, as Solak points out, Moss is just as qualified to be a number one cornerback in the NFL.
“Among 76 outside CBs with at least 100 coverage snaps, Broncos CB Riley Moss is the most targeted (55).” Solak posted. “He’s 3rd in completion percentage allowed (45.5%), 6th in tight window rate, and 13th in coverage success rate.”
Among 76 outside CBs with at least 100 coverage snaps, Broncos CB Riley Moss is the most targeted (55).
He’s 3rd in comp percentage allowed (45.5%), 6th in tight window rate, and 13th in coverage success rate.
Needs to cut down on the penalties, but he’s a good player.
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) October 27, 2025
With Surtain locking down one side of the field, quarterbacks would be better off targeting Moss on the other side. But Moss still makes quarterbacks’ lives not easy, and would normally be avoided in coverage if possible.
But, with Surtain on the other side, Moss becoming the most targeted outside cornerback is hardly surprising. But now, with Surtain out, Moss becomes the number one outside cornerback.
He’ll likely receive a lot fewer targets than he has all year, as teams will instead try and target the Denver secondary with the player taking over for Surtain on the field, whether it’s a safety, cornerback, or linebacker in certain packages.
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Normally, losing a superstar like Surtain would be a huge loss, and while Denver will see a weaker defense the next few weeks, the presence of Moss will make the secondary still better than most other teams’ back sevens.
Moss is capable of being a number one cornerback, and the statistics Solak highlighted show just how great Moss has been this season, despite being targeted more than any other cornerback.
Now, in the CB1 role, Moss will face the team’s top wide receivers more often, but also will likely see fewer targets. Despite losing Surtain, the Broncos still have a player capable of being an elite CB1 in Riley Moss.
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