The Denver Broncos are sitting pretty at 10-2, holding down the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoff picture through 13 weeks. But if you watched their narrow 27-26 overtime win against the Washington Commanders, you know this team still has some wrinkles to iron out-especially on offense.
Let’s start with the obvious: this was a game the Broncos were expected to control. Washington came in with just three wins and was missing its starting quarterback, Jayden Daniels. Instead, Denver found itself in a dogfight that went into overtime, needing a missed two-point conversion by the Commanders to escape with the win.
Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota stepped in for Washington and gave Denver’s defense more trouble than expected. Mariota went 28-of-50 for 294 yards, tossed two touchdowns, and added 55 yards on the ground.
He kept Denver’s vaunted pass rush at bay by getting the ball out quickly-limiting the league’s sack leaders to just two on the day. That’s a credit to Mariota’s experience and mobility, but also a sign that Denver’s defensive front didn’t quite hit the mark, even with stars like Pat Surtain II and Alex Singleton back in the lineup.
Still, let’s not overreact. The Broncos’ defense remains one of the most complete units in the NFL. They’ve been the backbone of this 10-2 start, and if they’re going to make a deep postseason run, it’ll be on the strength of that side of the ball.
But the offense? That’s where things get complicated.
The biggest issue right now is the run game. Losing J.K.
Dobbins-who was top five in rushing yards before his injury-has left a noticeable void. Enter rookie RJ Harvey, who’s been asked to step into some big shoes since Week 10.
And while the raw numbers don’t jump off the page-just 65 yards on 24 carries-Harvey’s impact can’t be measured by yardage alone.
Against Washington, Harvey punched in two touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime. That brings his season total to eight scores, a solid mark for a rookie thrown into the fire. He’s shown flashes as a receiver, and his versatility has kept him on the field even when the ground game isn’t clicking.
ESPN’s Jeff Legwold pointed out that Harvey is now the team’s clear RB1, and at 205 pounds, he’s the only true “power back” on the roster. That gives him a unique role in this offense, especially with his improving pass protection-something that could earn him more third-down snaps as the season wears on.
But if Denver wants to be more than just a playoff team, they’ll need more from Harvey as a runner. Right now, the run game feels more ornamental than foundational. That has to change, especially as the weather gets colder and the games get tighter.
The Broncos head to Las Vegas in Week 14 for a divisional matchup with the Raiders. It’s another test for a team that’s shown it can win ugly, but still has the potential to win big-if the offense can find its rhythm to match the defense’s dominance.