The Broncos head to San Francisco in Week 4 with a chance to stack a third straight win, but the bigger story is whether they can finally look like a team that belongs in that 2-1 record. Denver has been clunky through three games, and while that hasn’t completely derailed the start, it has left plenty of room for improvement as October football arrives.
That makes this matchup against the 49ers feel like more than just another road trip. It’s Denver’s first game away from home since Week 1, and it comes against an NFC West opponent for the second straight week. If the Broncos are going to keep the momentum going, they’ll need sharper play from a few key spots.
J.K. Dobbins is the first name that jumps out.
The running back hasn’t come close to looking like the same player who showed up a year ago. Through three games, he’s averaging 3.5 yards per carry with a 48.6 percent success rate, and he hasn’t topped 49 rushing yards in any game.
Week 3 was especially rough, with Dobbins falling below 3.0 yards per carry.
The contrast to last season is hard to ignore. In his first three games a year ago, Dobbins piled up 222 yards at 5.4 yards per carry.
This year, he’s sitting on 121 rushing yards through three games, which is a steep drop. The Broncos have run into some tough defenses, but this week brings a different test, since the 49ers are banged up along the defensive line and Denver’s offensive line is supposed to be one of the better groups in the league.
The run game matters for more than just the box score. Denver’s inability to get it going early has fed into the slow starts, because once the offense is chasing, the ground attack gets pushed aside. If Dobbins can help set the tone earlier, that changes the whole shape of the offense.
That would also help Bo Nix. The Broncos quarterback has shown he can win from the pocket, and this offense has already proven it can score in bunches, so the issue isn’t a lack of talent.
But the way Denver has started games suggests the passing game hasn’t been able to find a rhythm without the run game doing its part first. Nix also looks more comfortable when the game has a looser feel to it.
That doesn’t mean he’s been perfect. Nix has missed throws, and there have been pocket reps that haven’t been clean.
He tends to drift in the pocket, and he doesn’t always step up when he should. Getting a stronger feel in the pocket - and maybe escaping earlier when the moment calls for it - could go a long way toward giving Denver a more complete performance in Week 4.
Then there’s Alex Singleton, who has become impossible to ignore in this conversation. The Broncos need more from the inside linebacker, plain and simple. And this matchup could be especially uncomfortable for him, because the 49ers have two elite weapons in Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle, and Kyle Shanahan is going to try to isolate Singleton with both of them.
If Denver is going to keep pace with a 49ers team that looks like a juggernaut, or close to one, those three players will have to raise their level.
In Other News...
Broncos Niners Preview Turned Into An Unexpected Live TV Moment
Sundays FOX NFL Sunday pregame show had its usual Broncos-49ers preview rhythm until Terry Bradshaw briefly turned the set into a cleanup scene. While talking through the matchup, Bradshaw accidentally knocked over a cup of coffee, creating a live-TV moment that viewers saw unfold in real time.
Curt Menefee moved in to handle the spill, and Bradshaw kept right on with the analysis without missing a beat. It was a reminder that even on a polished studio show, the most memorable moments can come from the kind of unscripted mishap no one sees coming. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Rookie Jahfari Harvey Just Hit An Important Early Step
Jahfari Harvey is taking an important first step in his early Broncos journey, and for a rookie outside linebacker, that usually means proving he can absorb the details before anything else. Harvey confirmed he has been signed to the practice squad and is currently working on the scout team while learning the playbook, a familiar but meaningful stage for a young defender trying to earn a longer look in Denver.
For a team that is constantly balancing development with immediate needs, getting a rookie into the building and into the system matters. Harveys focus now is on the daily grind of practice work and installation, the kind of behind-the-scenes progress that does not show up on game day but can determine whether a player is ready when the next opportunity arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Catch A Timely Edge Against Banged Up 49ers
The Broncos head into Week 4 with something every team wants this time of year: a cleaner bill of health than the opponent across the field. Marvin Mims Jr. and Jaylen Waddle were full participants all week, giving Denver a healthier look as it prepares to face a San Francisco defense that is already dealing with several key injuries and a long list of players on injured reserve.
Nick Bosa and James Thompson Jr. are among the 49ers who have been out or questionable, which leaves Denver in position to try to press an edge before the game even kicks off. The Broncos are also set to elevate practice squad defender Johnny Walker to help cover for injured Dondrea Tillman, a small but telling roster move that underscores how much both sides are managing before this matchup. [Read more 🡒]