Marvin Mims was back in the role the Broncos trust most on Sunday, and Sean Payton made it clear that wasn’t an accident.
In Denver’s 30-16 win over the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium, Mims handled punts and kicks without a second returner beside him, then chipped in more on offense than he had in recent weeks. The wideout fielded two punts for eight yards and four kickoffs for 103 yards, including a 39-yard return. He also caught two passes for 53 yards, highlighted by a 47-yard catch-and-run, while logging 16 offensive snaps as the No. 3 receiver behind Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton.
Payton said Monday the Broncos are intent on expanding Mims’ role.
“We’re trying to get him touches. He’s one of our explosive playmakers," Payton told reporters via conference call on Monday.
"Quite honestly, we need to get him more touches on offense, and we’ll do that. A lot of it had to do with the way they were kicking off.
We kind of, you noticed, went more to a single returner and certainly that first one (return) that puts us at midfield was a big one for us.”
The Broncos got production in more than one phase. Denver’s offense scored three touchdowns against Arizona, and one of those drives came after a blocked punt. Wil Lutz was perfect, hitting all of his extra points and going three-for-three on field goal attempts.
Payton pointed to the kicking game and the line play as keys to building a better team.
“I think the quickest way to improve your team is in the kicking game and then in your defensive and offensive fronts," Payton said. "If you talk about taking care of the football and playing well on special teams, you’re going to give yourself a chance. I think [Special Teams Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach] Darren [Rizzi] and his group have done a real good job.”
Now the challenge gets sharper. Denver hosts the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High in a 5-2 versus 5-1 matchup, with sole control of the AFC West on the line around the midway point of the 2026 campaign.
With WR Pat Bryant (ankle) expected to miss another game and Patrick Mahomes waiting on the other sideline, the Broncos could lean more heavily on the passing game, which should leave Mims in line for more targets. If Waddle (chest) is sidelined for Week 8, Mims could also be the deep threat.
Payton said he does not buy into the usual language around rivalry games, even with the division lead at stake.
“I’ve said this a hundred times, but divisional games are always important and they typically kind of move," Payton said Monday of the upcoming tilt. "I don’t see rivalry weeks in the NFL.
They’re generally divisional games where you have an important game against a division opponent. So I don’t see the Auburn-Alabama.
I don’t see the Ohio State-Michigan. That’s just from being in this league long enough and doing it long enough.”
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Broncos Head Into Chiefs Rematch With One Big Reason For Confidence
A 30-16 win over Arizona gave Denver a needed boost and nudged the Broncos to 5-2, but it also offered a reminder that this team can find different ways to win when the game calls for it. Bo Nix helped set the tone with his legs, and rookie running back Jonah Coleman made a noticeable return from injury, giving the offense a little more balance as Denver heads toward a Chiefs rematch with momentum.
The bigger part of the week, though, may be how the Broncos handled the game without Patrick Surtain II on the field at all. Denver was forced to adjust on the fly after he was downgraded shortly before kickoff, and the defense still managed to get through a solid test against Arizona. How that holds up against Kansas City is the next question, especially with another divisional heavyweight waiting and the Broncos trying to prove this early run is built to last. [Read more 🡒]
Jonah Coleman Just Reopened A Broncos Backfield Debate
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Coleman led Denvers running backs with nine carries for 54 yards and added two catches for 15 yards, a solid showing that gives the team something to think about going forward. It was the kind of return that can change how a coaching staff views its weekly distribution, and for a Broncos offense still sorting out its identity on the ground, his timing could not have been much better. [Read more 🡒]
Bo Nix Just Changed The Feel Around Denvers Chiefs Test
Bo Nix did enough against the Arizona Cardinals to quiet any noise that might have built up around Denvers quarterback spot, and Sean Payton made sure the message afterward was clear. Nix handled the offense with efficiency, throwing for 222 yards and a touchdown while also adding a score on the ground, giving the Broncos a steadier-looking answer as they try to keep their momentum heading into a tougher stretch.
Paytons tone after the win mattered as much as the box score, because the Broncos have been navigating a matchup-driven season where confidence can swing quickly from one week to the next. With Kansas City looming, the support from inside the building leaves Nix in a much different spot than a few hours earlier, and it sharpens the attention on how Denvers offense will look when the stakes rise again. [Read more 🡒]