The Broncos got through their six-game stretch at 4-2, and that alone would have sounded pretty good to plenty of fans before the season started. Even better, their latest win came without ever trailing, a break from what had been the norm earlier this year. That kind of shift matters, and it gives Denver something to build on as it turns to Week 7 against the Arizona Cardinals.
But the mini bye week also comes with a blunt reality: there’s plenty that still needs cleaning up.
The biggest problem is third down, where the Broncos have been ugly on both sides of the ball. Offensively, they’re converting just 31.6 percent of their third downs, which ranks 30th in the league. Defensively, they’re giving up conversions on 44.4 percent of third downs, good for 26th.
A lot of that traces back to the ground game. On offense, Denver keeps digging itself into obvious passing situations after getting only a few yards on first-down runs.
On defense, the inability to slow opposing run games has created too many manageable third downs, which takes away one of the Broncos’ biggest strengths: the pass rush. The end result is the same either way - third downs are a mess, and they need to be better.
The run game itself is another clear issue. Denver is averaging just 84.2 rushing yards per game, which ranks 25th in the NFL, and only 3.4 yards per carry, which is 30th.
That’s not a small slump. That’s a unit that isn’t functioning.
The carries are raising questions too. J.K.
Dobbins has 81 attempts for 270 yards. Last year, he averaged five yards per carry; if he were doing that now, he’d be sitting at 405 yards.
Instead, he hasn’t looked like himself, and it’s fair to wonder whether he’s starting to slow down. RJ Harvey, meanwhile, has only 21 carries, which works out to 4.2 per game.
He actually has more catches than rushing attempts.
That usage stands out because Harvey looks like the more explosive option, the one who can create a bigger play when the run game needs a spark. It’s hard to ignore how little he’s been featured when the current setup isn’t producing. Giving him five more carries a game wouldn’t seem to cause harm, and when rookie Jonah Coleman returns, Dobbins could wind up with even less work.
Then there’s Jaylen Waddle, who should be playing a bigger role in the passing game. He’s second on the team in receptions and first in yards, with 22 catches for 228 yards.
He also ranks second on the team in scrimmage yards with 251. The Broncos brought him in during the offseason hoping he’d bring more life to the offense, and while he’s flashed, he hasn’t been used enough.
That doesn’t mean Waddle has been the problem. It means Denver needs to feed him more.
He’s the kind of player who should make life easier on early downs and keep the offense out of second- and third-and-long. He can win vertically, work horizontally, separate in space, and even add something out of the backfield.
In other words, he’s the easy button on this offense.
If the Broncos want this mini bye week to matter, getting Waddle more involved has to be part of the plan. That responsibility also falls on Bo Nix, who needs to look his way more often.
In Other News...
Broncos Have A Real Chance To Prove This Start Is Legit
The Broncos have spent the last six games showing they can win even when the offense is not consistently humming, and that is what makes the next stretch so important. A 4-2 record has given Denver some early credibility, but the schedule ahead will do a lot more to define how real this start is before the Week 10 bye arrives.
Arizona, Kansas City, and Carolina are lined up in quick succession, and each one brings a different kind of test for a team trying to prove it belongs in the upper tier of the AFC conversation. If Denver can keep stacking results through that stretch, the noise around this start will shift from pleasant surprise to something much harder to dismiss. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Payton Just Raised A Big Concern About The Broncos Start
The Broncos left Seattle with an overtime win and another reminder of how thin the margin has been during their strong start. Denvers defense carried plenty of the load again, forcing three turnovers in a game that swung on the kind of pressure and opportunism the team has leaned on while building its 4-2 record.
Sean Payton, though, didnt spend much time celebrating the number beside the Broncos name. He pointed to the offensive struggles, including quarterback Bo Nixs uneven play, as the kind of issue that can erase the good work from all those close victories if it keeps showing up. Denver has found ways to survive tight games so far, but Payton made clear the formula only works if the offense starts doing more to help. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Pass Rush Just Got A New Concern After Seahawks Win
Jonah Elliss gave the Broncos another jolt on the edge during the win over Seattle, but the aftermath raised a fresh concern for a pass rush that had been finding its footing. The lower-leg injury he sustained was enough to put his availability in doubt, and the sight of him leaving with crutches and a boot suggested this is more than a short-term inconvenience for a defense that has leaned on its young outside rushers.
Jonathon Coopers return from the commissioners exempt list at least gives Denver a timely option to help offset the loss. With Cooper expected back in the linebacker rotation, the Broncos can shuffle the workload among their healthy pass rushers, and they may have to lean on that flexibility if Elliss lands on short-term injured reserve. [Read more 🡒]