RJ Harvey Delivers in the Clutch as Broncos Take Down Chiefs in Statement Win
When the moment called for poise, precision, and a little bit of guts, rookie running back RJ Harvey delivered all three-and then some.
Late in a tightly contested matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, Harvey capped off a game-winning drive with a touchdown that not only sealed a critical win for the Denver Broncos but also put the rest of the league on notice: this rookie is built for the spotlight.
Harvey, already known for his nose for the end zone, found paydirt for the fifth straight game. And this one?
It might be his most impressive yet. With the Broncos trailing and the clock ticking, the former UCF standout took over.
He sparked the drive with an 11-yard burst from Denver’s 44-yard line, slicing through the Chiefs’ front seven and pushing the Broncos into enemy territory. He followed that up with another 14-yard gain, showing off the blend of vision and acceleration that’s made him such a weapon this season.
Then came the defining sequence.
With the Broncos facing a 4th and 2 at the two-minute warning, head coach Sean Payton didn’t blink. He kept the offense on the field, turned to his rookie, and dialed up a wildcat formation. Harvey, lined up behind center, used a veteran-level hard count to draw six-time Pro Bowler Chris Jones offsides-a savvy move that turned a do-or-die play into a fresh set of downs.
Harvey wasn’t done. He powered the ball to the one-yard line on the next carry, setting up a 3rd and goal.
That’s when quarterback Bo Nix rolled right, scanning the field as Harvey ran a flat route toward the front pylon. With the Chiefs’ coverage clamping down, Harvey didn’t panic.
He improvised, drifting to the back of the end zone and planting his feet just in time for Nix to zip a strike his way. Touchdown, Broncos.
It was the kind of play that doesn’t show up in a playbook-just instinct, chemistry, and elite football IQ.
“Very savvy move by him,” Nix said after the game. “You can tell he's been in my shoes before.
He knows what it’s like to find space. He does things that are sort of unteachable… He’ll do stuff like that all the time.”
Harvey’s blend of polish and playmaking has been a revelation for Denver. According to UCF, he’s now just the sixth rookie running back in NFL history to log at least five rushing and five receiving touchdowns in a single season-a rare feat that speaks volumes about his versatility. He’s also ninth in the league in total touchdowns, ahead of big names like Saquon Barkley and Bijan Robinson.
That score marked his twelfth of the season, further solidifying his case as a legitimate Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate. While the odds currently have Carolina’s Tetairoa McMillan as the frontrunner, Harvey’s late-season surge-and his impact on a playoff-bound Broncos team-can’t be ignored.
Now, Denver turns its attention to a massive Week 18 showdown with the red-hot Chargers. The stakes?
A shot at the AFC West crown and the conference’s top seed. If the Broncos are going to make a deep run in a wide-open AFC, they’ll need more of the same from their rookie spark plug.
And if this latest performance is any indication, RJ Harvey is more than ready for the moment.