"Sometimes, it can get boring being Champ Bailey.

Because he had 43 interceptions heading into Sunday's game and a knack for making open-field tackles, opposing quarterbacks usually look the other way.

Not Tony Romo.

Maybe Romo thought Bailey, now 31, was a step slower than he used to be, or he thought Bailey couldn't catch like he used to, because Bailey had not picked off a pass since the second game of last season. Give Romo credit for his confidence, but in this case, Romo was wrong.

On the final two plays of Sunday's game, on third and fourth down from Denver's 2-yard line, Romo fired passes intended for receiver Sam Hurd. Both times, Bailey was there to swat the ball to the ground.

"Tony Romo has confidence in his arm, but we have confidence in our guy. We'll take that matchup every single time. Every single time," cornerback Andre Goodman said.

On the final fourth-down play, with five seconds remaining on the clock, Bailey clung tight to Hurd as the Broncos sent an all-out blitz at Romo.

In the end zone, Bailey got his right arm around Hurd's back and outstretched his left hand in front of Hurd's body to knock the ball to the ground and seal Denver's 17-10 victory.

Romo said the Cowboys' offense got the coverage it wanted on the final play: their receiver in single coverage.

It was exactly the scenario Bailey wanted too.

"Oh, I welcome it. I love it. That's the only way I'm going to make plays. If they don't throw at me, I can't make plays," Bailey said. "It was me and him. (Hurd) had a two-way go, so I knew, just stay inside and make (Romo) make the hard throw.""