The Broncos and Seahawks are heading into Thursday night looking a lot alike in one ugly area: neither team has gotten its running game going.
Denver will meet Seattle at Mile High, and the matchup sets up as a mirror test in more ways than one. The Seahawks bring a tough defense, but they’ve also been stuck without much on the ground. That was on display in Sunday’s 32-29 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, when Jerry Brewer of The Athletic noted Seattle’s running game had “no grip.”
Brewer pointed to a play just before halftime as a snapshot of the problem. The Seahawks tried a stretch play with a handoff to running back George Holani, but the 49ers swarmed him, and the play ended with a fumble. Seattle’s game against San Francisco had more offense than you might expect from a team known for defense, but the turnover was one of four in the loss.
That sounds awfully familiar to Denver’s path in its 23-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. The Broncos leaned on their defense, which forced two fourth-quarter turnovers, and got another break when Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh made the kind of call that can sink a game, going for a first down in his own territory and ending up with a turnover on downs.
The result gives Denver a formula it may try to repeat, but there’s no guarantee it will come easy. The Broncos offense has been rough so far, which means Thursday night could turn into a field position battle.
If it does, Denver has a major asset in punter Jeremy Crawshaw. He’s been excellent with positional kicking and has repeatedly forced opponents to start deep in their own end.
That may matter even more against Seattle. Denver had a little football luck against the Chargers, using those turnovers to set up a pair of field goals that helped seal the win. Meanwhile, Sean Payton is still drawing criticism for his play-calling decision, with some saying he made matters worse by effectively demoting offensive coordinator Davis Webb.
There was at least one encouraging sign for Denver on the ground last week. After Payton took over the play calling, the Broncos stayed balanced, and J.K. Dobbins delivered a couple of slashing runs that proved important late.
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Chargers Loss Just Added Fuel To Denvers Bo Nix Debate
The Broncos got the kind of win that should quiet a few arguments, but instead it only sharpened the one around Bo Nix. Denver beat the Chargers with Nix still in place at quarterback, yet the postgame conversation quickly shifted away from the result and back to how he looked doing it, with criticism following him even in a victory.
Nix was Denvers first-round pick in 2024 and remains under contract through 2027, so the organization has time before any real decision point arrives. Still, the longer his passer rating trends down and the offense stays below average, the harder it becomes to sell the idea that a long-term extension is coming anytime soon, no matter how the standings read in the moment. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Fans Need To Watch Seattles Injury Report Closely Thursday
The Seahawks did not practice Monday, but they still put out an estimated injury report for Thursday Night Football against the Broncos, and that kind of early-week snapshot can tell you plenty about how Seattle is lining up for a short-week matchup. For Denver fans, it is the sort of document worth reading closely, especially with players working back into the picture and others expected to be available despite the abbreviated preparation.
Irv Charles is aiming to make his debut after a stint on injured reserve, while George Holani is expected to play, giving Seattle a few more offensive options to monitor before kickoff. Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Zach Charbonnet also showed up on the report with injury designations, which leaves the Seahawks with some uncertainty as they head toward Thursday and keeps the Broncos guessing a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Payton Sends Mixed Message On Broncos Offense After Big Change
After the Broncos made a notable change in how the offense was being called, Sean Payton spent Monday trying to strike the right balance between reassurance and honesty. He said the group handled the adjustment well, and he singled out Webb for the work put in during the week, which suggested there was at least some belief the process is settling in.
Payton also made clear the bigger picture is still far from clean. Even with the response to the change, he acknowledged the Broncos are not doing a lot of things well through five games, a candid assessment that leaves the offense with more questions than answers as the team tries to sort out what actually moved the needle. [Read more 🡒]