The Broncos are trending in the right direction as Sunday Night Football gets closer, and that’s especially true in the backfield.
Denver listed all three of its top running backs on the injury report this week, but Thursday brought a welcome shift: J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey were both full participants.
For Harvey, who missed last week’s game, that’s a particularly encouraging sign. He’s a big piece of what Denver wants to do on offense, and his ability to impact the game as a runner and receiver gives the Broncos a dimension they could use against the Rams.
Dobbins, meanwhile, remains the most seasoned and productive runner in the group. He also came into Denver on a significant offseason raise, so the Broncos need him on the field, not watching from the sideline. When he’s available, the ground game has a much better chance of looking efficient.
The status of Marvin Mims Jr. is a little murkier. He was limited again on Thursday after being limited Wednesday, and after missing Week 2, the Broncos are hoping the rest has helped him get to Sunday night. Mims matters in the passing game, but his punt-return value is the kind that can swing field position in a hurry.
The biggest concern in Denver’s skill group may be Courtland Sutton, who was a DNP for a second straight day. That doesn’t point in a great direction for his Week 3 availability, though Friday’s final injury report should tell the story much more clearly. If Sutton can get to limited on Friday, at least the door stays open for a game-time decision.
On the other side, the Rams are dealing with some key questions of their own. Puka Nacua was not seen at Thursday’s practice, which makes his status look shaky heading into the weekend. Still, Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said he’s preparing as if Nacua will be out there.
“I think Puka is going to play, but obviously he didn’t play [Monday], and it was no different for those guys," Joseph said on Thursday. "If he doesn’t play, we have to figure out how to get Adams stopped.
But it’s not just Adams, it’s the run game. This 13-personnel stuff, it forces you to play big and also play small on some passing downs, so it’s kind of brilliant."
That’s the real challenge staring down Denver: the Rams’ offense doesn’t just revolve around one wideout. Davante Adams is still a major problem, and he’s a familiar one for Patrick Surtain II from the days Adams was with the Las Vegas Raiders. But Joseph made clear the issue runs deeper than one receiver.
Tight end Tyler Higbee hasn’t practiced this week, which would be a major hit to the Rams if he can’t go. At the same time, Jordan Whittington moved from DNP to limited on Thursday, and linebacker Christian Rozeboom has been limited both days.
Joseph also pointed to Colby Parkinson’s absence as something that could matter. If Parkinson doesn’t get on the field Friday, the Broncos would have one fewer piece to worry about in a Rams attack that leans hard on tight ends.
That would make the role of Davis Allen even more important. He’s coming off a strong Week 2, when he caught six passes for 54 yards and a touchdown. Denver may need a plan that puts Jahdae Barron on him in certain passing situations, especially if the Broncos want a tight end answer in obvious throwing downs.
Meanwhile, Alaric Jackson appears set to play at left tackle, and that matchup with Nik Bonitto will be one of the key battles of the night.
Joseph knows exactly what he’s dealing with in Sean McVay’s offense: a tight end-heavy system that can stress a defense in different ways depending on the look. McVay’s use of 13 personnel - one running back, three tight ends - can force a defense to get bigger and then punish it if it tries to answer with extra size.
"The three-tight-end sets with one receiver, it can look like 13 or 11 or 10. So he has the ability to obviously make you play big and if you do play big with extra linemen, extra backers, he can spread you out and play small," Joseph said of McVay.
"So that’s the first challenge for us is stopping the 13 personnel run and pass game. Then obviously getting them in known passing downs, and rushing the right way, and covering their main guys, that’s the key, but it starts with stopping the run game.”
Even Denver offensive coordinator Davis Webb has gotten in on the 13-personnel trend, which says plenty about how much that package has taken hold around the league. For the Broncos on Sunday night, though, the focus is much simpler: get healthy where they can, sort out the final injury report, and be ready for a Rams offense that can make life messy in a hurry.
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Patrick Surtain Draws Serious Praise Before Broncos Sunday Night Test
Davante Adams had plenty of respect for Patrick Surtain II before the Rams and Broncos meet Sunday night, and it was easy to see why. The Los Angeles receiver singled out the Denver cornerback when talking about the matchup, acknowledging Surtain as one of the leagues top players at his position. The two have seen each other before, and their history has already produced enough quality snaps to make this one worth watching.
It also comes at a time when the Rams may need Adams even more. Puka Nacua is doubtful with a hip injury, which could put a heavier load on Los Angeles passing game and make the Adams-Surtain showdown even more central to how the night unfolds. For Denver, it is another chance for Surtain to measure himself against one of the sports most accomplished receivers, with the spotlight likely staying on that duel for as long as it lasts. [Read more 🡒]