Quick answer
- Winner
- Denver Broncos
- Final score
- Denver Broncos 17–10 Dallas Cowboys
- Halftime
- Dallas Cowboys 10–7 Denver Broncos at halftime
- FantasyHQ MVP
- B. Marshall
- Top passer
- T. Romo
- Biggest EPA play
- (2:00) (Shotgun) 8-K.Orton pass deep right to 15-B.Marshall for 51 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Game date
- 2009-10-04
Game summary
The Denver Broncos beat the Dallas Cowboys 17–10 on 2009-10-04, overcoming Dallas Cowboys's 10–7 halftime lead. B. Marshall posted a game-high +5.98 total EPA in the receiving.
The highest-scoring period was Q1 with 10 combined points.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q4 | — | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Dallas Cowboys | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
 Denver Broncos | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
Scoring Map
Each pin marks where a score occurred on the field — yard line from play-by-play.
DALDallas Cowboys
(6:02) 6-N.Folk 49 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-1-M.McBriar.
(:50) 24-M.Barber up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.
6-N.Folk extra point is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-1-M.McBriar.
(10:10) (Shotgun) 8-K.Orton pass short right to 27-K.Moreno for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
5-M.Prater extra point is GOOD, Center-66-L.Paxton, Holder-1-B.Kern.
(6:02) 5-M.Prater 28 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-66-L.Paxton, Holder-1-B.Kern.
(2:00) (Shotgun) 8-K.Orton pass deep right to 15-B.Marshall for 51 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
5-M.Prater extra point is GOOD, Center-66-L.Paxton, Holder-1-B.Kern.
DENDenver BroncosFantasyHQ Analytics
Scoring timeline
Chronological scoring plays — scroll to follow the game.
- DALDallas Cowboys
Q1 6:02FG Nick FolkPoints+3
- Yard line
- DEN 31
- Score
- 3-0
(6:02) 6-N.Folk 49 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-1-M.McBriar.
- DALDallas Cowboys
Q1 0:50TD MBM. BarberPoints+6
- Yard line
- DEN 1
- Score
- 9-0
(:50) 24-M.Barber up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.
- DALDallas Cowboys
Q1 0:43XP Nick FolkPoints+1
- Yard line
- DEN 2
- Score
- 10-0
6-N.Folk extra point is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-1-M.McBriar.
- DENDenver Broncos
Q2 10:10TD KMK. MorenoPoints+6
- Yard line
- DAL 9
- Score
- 10-6
(10:10) (Shotgun) 8-K.Orton pass short right to 27-K.Moreno for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- DENDenver Broncos
Q2 10:04XP Points+1
- Yard line
- DAL 2
- Score
- 10-7
5-M.Prater extra point is GOOD, Center-66-L.Paxton, Holder-1-B.Kern.
- DENDenver Broncos
Q4 6:02FG Points+3
- Yard line
- DAL 10
- Score
- 10-10
(6:02) 5-M.Prater 28 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-66-L.Paxton, Holder-1-B.Kern.
- DENDenver Broncos
Q4 2:00TD BMB. MarshallPoints+6
- Yard line
- DAL 51
- Score
- 10-16
(2:00) (Shotgun) 8-K.Orton pass deep right to 15-B.Marshall for 51 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- DENDenver Broncos
Q4 1:46XP Points+1
- Yard line
- DAL 2
- Score
- 10-17
5-M.Prater extra point is GOOD, Center-66-L.Paxton, Holder-1-B.Kern.
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA).
- 1B. Marshall · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +5.98 total EPA · 6 snaps · +1.00 EPA/play
- 2C. Buckhalter · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +3.55 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.71 EPA/play
- 3K. Orton · Denver Broncos · Passing · +2.90 total EPA · 34 snaps · +0.09 EPA/play
- 4M. Barber · Dallas Cowboys · Rushing · +2.36 total EPA · 11 snaps · +0.21 EPA/play
- 5T. Scheffler · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +2.16 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.72 EPA/play
- 6T. Choice · Dallas Cowboys · Receiving · +2.01 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.33 EPA/play
- 7C. Buckhalter · Denver Broncos · Rushing · +2.01 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.33 EPA/play
- 8M. Barber · Dallas Cowboys · Receiving · +1.69 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.85 EPA/play
FantasyHQ Game MVP
Highest total EPA with the player's top snap and the game's biggest single play when different.
FantasyHQ Game MVP
B. Marshall — DEN · Receiving
B. Marshall posted the highest total EPA (+5.98) in the game, the strongest overall impact for Denver Broncos. Across 6 counted snaps, they averaged +1.00 EPA per play.
B. Marshall's top snap (+4.91 EPA): (2:00) (Shotgun) 8-K.Orton pass deep right to 15-B.Marshall for 51 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Quarterback report card
T. Romo led all passers in efficiency for Dallas Cowboys, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- T. Romo (Dallas Cowboys) · 49 dropbacks · 51.0% completion · -3.6% CPOE · -0.15 EPA/play · -7.34 total EPA
- K. Orton (Denver Broncos) · 34 dropbacks · 58.8% completion · +5.5% CPOE · +0.09 EPA/play · +2.90 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency.
| Stat | Dallas Cowboys | Denver Broncos |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.080 | -0.015 |
| Offensive success rate | 41.8% | 48.0% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.150 | +0.085 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.141 | -0.196 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.015 | +0.080 |
| Defensive success rate | 52.0% | 58.2% |
Drive & efficiency notes
Denver Broncos held the efficiency edge in offensive EPA per play (-0.01 vs -0.08), even if the scoreboard told a different story.
Season benchmark context (offensive EPA per play):
- Dallas Cowboys: -0.08 EPA/play (32nd percentile vs. 2009 team-game averages)
- Denver Broncos: -0.01 EPA/play (47th percentile vs. 2009 team-game averages)
- Dallas Cowboys: 12 drives, -7.32 total EPA, 2 scoring drives
- Denver Broncos: 12 drives, -1.10 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal from official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Dallas Cowboys — M. Barber
- Denver Broncos — K. Moreno (K. Orton pass)
- Denver Broncos — B. Marshall (K. Orton pass)
Field goals
- Dallas Cowboys — Nick Folk
- Denver Broncos — Matt Prater
Quarter by quarter
Quarter-by-quarter recap from live scoring plays.
The opening quarter: Dallas Cowboys won the period 10–0. Dallas Cowboys connected on a field goal from the DEN 31 (Q1 6:02) — (6:02) 6-N.Folk 49 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-1-M.McBriar.; Dallas Cowboys found the end zone from the DEN 1 (Q1 0:50) — (:50) 24-M.Barber up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Dallas Cowboys added 1 points from the DEN 2 (Q1 0:43) — 6-N.Folk extra point is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-1-M.McBriar..
The second quarter: Denver Broncos won the period 7–0. Denver Broncos found the end zone from the DAL 9 (Q2 10:10) — (10:10) (Shotgun) 8-K.Orton pass short right to 27-K.Moreno for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Denver Broncos added 1 points from the DAL 2 (Q2 10:04) — 5-M.Prater extra point is GOOD, Center-66-L.Paxton, Holder-1-B.Kern..
The fourth quarter: Denver Broncos won the period 10–0. Denver Broncos connected on a field goal from the DAL 10 (Q4 6:02) — (6:02) 5-M.Prater 28 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-66-L.Paxton, Holder-1-B.Kern.; Denver Broncos found the end zone from the DAL 51 (Q4 2:00) — (2:00) (Shotgun) 8-K.Orton pass deep right to 15-B.Marshall for 51 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Denver Broncos added 1 points from the DAL 2 (Q4 1:46) — 5-M.Prater extra point is GOOD, Center-66-L.Paxton, Holder-1-B.Kern..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most.
- Denver Broncos (Q4 2:00) — (2:00) (Shotgun) 8-K.Orton pass deep right to 15-B.Marshall for 51 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Dallas Cowboys (Q4 1:16) — (1:16) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass short middle to 17-S.Hurd to DEN 20 for 53 yards (20-B.Dawkins).
- Denver Broncos (Q4 8:27) — (8:27) (Shotgun) 8-K.Orton pass short left to 19-E.Royal to DAL 42 for 12 yards (21-M.Jenkins). PENALTY on DAL-90-J.Ratliff, Roughing the Passer, 15 yards, enforced at DAL 42.
- Denver Broncos (Q3 14:55) — (14:55) (Shotgun) 27-K.Moreno up the middle to DEN 24 for 3 yards (94-D.Ware). FUMBLES (94-D.Ware), RECOVERED by DAL-56-B.James at DEN 27. 56-B.James to DEN 27 for no gain (71-R.Hochstein).
- Dallas Cowboys (Q2 10:18) — (10:18) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo sacked at DAL 17 for -4 yards (23-R.Hill). FUMBLES (23-R.Hill), RECOVERED by DEN-55-D.Williams at DAL 17. 55-D.Williams to DAL 9 for 8 yards (65-A.Gurode).
Impact plays
Highest EPA snaps that flipped field position.
- Denver Broncos (Q4 2:00) — (2:00) (Shotgun) 8-K.Orton pass deep right to 15-B.Marshall for 51 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Denver Broncos (Q3 14:55) — (14:55) (Shotgun) 27-K.Moreno up the middle to DEN 24 for 3 yards (94-D.Ware). FUMBLES (94-D.Ware), RECOVERED by DAL-56-B.James at DEN 27. 56-B.James to DEN 27 for no gain (71-R.Hochstein).
- Dallas Cowboys (Q4 1:16) — (1:16) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass short middle to 17-S.Hurd to DEN 20 for 53 yards (20-B.Dawkins).
- Dallas Cowboys (Q2 10:18) — (10:18) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo sacked at DAL 17 for -4 yards (23-R.Hill). FUMBLES (23-R.Hill), RECOVERED by DEN-55-D.Williams at DAL 17. 55-D.Williams to DAL 9 for 8 yards (65-A.Gurode).
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with play-by-play context.
- Dallas Cowboys FG (+3) — Q1 6:02 · DEN 31 · Score 3-0
(6:02) 6-N.Folk 49 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-1-M.McBriar. - Dallas Cowboys TD (+6) — Q1 0:50 · DEN 1 · Score 9-0
(:50) 24-M.Barber up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - Dallas Cowboys XP (+1) — Q1 0:43 · DEN 2 · Score 10-0
6-N.Folk extra point is GOOD, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-1-M.McBriar. - Denver Broncos TD (+6) — Q2 10:10 · DAL 9 · Score 10-6
(10:10) (Shotgun) 8-K.Orton pass short right to 27-K.Moreno for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Denver Broncos XP (+1) — Q2 10:04 · DAL 2 · Score 10-7
5-M.Prater extra point is GOOD, Center-66-L.Paxton, Holder-1-B.Kern. - Denver Broncos FG (+3) — Q4 6:02 · DAL 10 · Score 10-10
(6:02) 5-M.Prater 28 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-66-L.Paxton, Holder-1-B.Kern. - Denver Broncos TD (+6) — Q4 2:00 · DAL 51 · Score 10-16
(2:00) (Shotgun) 8-K.Orton pass deep right to 15-B.Marshall for 51 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Denver Broncos XP (+1) — Q4 1:46 · DAL 2 · Score 10-17
5-M.Prater extra point is GOOD, Center-66-L.Paxton, Holder-1-B.Kern.
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research and follow-up box score digging.
- Denver Broncos earned the result — use the box score for snap-level context.
- One-score margin — verify garbage-time stats before drawing fantasy conclusions.
- B. Marshall (Denver Broncos) led total EPA — start here for highlight and prop research.
- T. Romo (DAL) finished below expected efficiency despite volume.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Dallas Cowboys vs Denver Broncos on 2009-10-04?
The Denver Broncos beat the Dallas Cowboys 17-10 in Week 4, 2009.
What was the score by quarter in Dallas Cowboys vs Denver Broncos?
Q1: Dallas Cowboys 10, Denver Broncos 0; Q2: Dallas Cowboys 0, Denver Broncos 7; Q4: Dallas Cowboys 0, Denver Broncos 10; Final: Dallas Cowboys 10, Denver Broncos 17.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Dallas Cowboys vs Denver Broncos?
Dallas Cowboys touchdown — M. Barber (Q1 0:50) Denver Broncos touchdown — K. Moreno (K. Orton pass) (Q2 10:10) Denver Broncos touchdown — B. Marshall (K. Orton pass) (Q4 2:00) Dallas Cowboys field goal — N. Folk (Q1 6:02, 3 pts) Denver Broncos field goal — M. Prater (Q4 6:02, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Dallas Cowboys vs Denver Broncos?
T. Romo (Dallas Cowboys), 51.0% completion, -3.6% CPOE, -0.15 EPA per dropback, -7.34 total passing EPA. K. Orton (Denver Broncos), 58.8% completion, +5.5% CPOE, +0.09 EPA per dropback, +2.90 total passing EPA.
Who was FantasyHQ's player of the game in Dallas Cowboys vs Denver Broncos?
B. Marshall (Denver Broncos) was FantasyHQ's Game MVP with +5.98 total EPA on Receiving plays. across 6 snaps. Their top snap (+4.91 EPA): (2:00) (Shotgun) 8-K.Orton pass deep right to 15-B.Marshall for 51 yards, TOUCHDOWN..
Was Dallas Cowboys vs Denver Broncos a close game?
Yes — the margin was 7 points. Denver Broncos won 17-10 in a game that stayed within one score into the fourth quarter.
Season records after this game
Dallas Cowboys
Entered 2-1 Now 2-2 L
Denver Broncos
Entered 3-0 Now 4-0 W
Fantasy · fantasyhq.co
