The Broncos didn’t just find offense in Bo Nix’s 62-yard touchdown run against the Arizona Cardinals. They also got a meaningful lift from rookie running back Jonah Coleman, and that may matter just as much as the big quarterback highlight.
Coleman came back from the IR and turned nine carries into 54 yards in Denver’s 30-16 win. Without Nix’s long scoring sprint, Coleman would have been the Broncos’ leading rusher on the day. That run from Nix was the headline moment, the one that had tackle Garrett Bolles calling the quarterback a “freaking gazelle,” but Coleman’s work gave Denver something it has been searching for all season: steady yards between the tackles.
He wasn’t operating in open space the way Nix did. Coleman had to earn his yardage the hard way, and that’s exactly where the Broncos have wanted help since the season began.
J.K. Dobbins provided a little of that too, finishing with six carries for 23 yards and a touchdown from a yard out, along with a couple of his trademark slashing runs up the middle.
Still, Coleman got more chances than Dobbins, and it was because he made the most of them. RJ Harvey, meanwhile, continues to show he’s not a between-the-tackles runner.
That matters with the Nov. 11 trade deadline getting closer. The talk in Denver has been building around the idea of adding a running back, and Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts has been the name mentioned most often.
For now, though, the Broncos sit at 5-2. Not everyone seems to be viewing them that way, either, given the reactions to Nix from both national experts and local media types. The record says one thing; the tone around the team has said another.
Next up is a Sunday matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, and it’s one that should say plenty about Denver. It’s also the first half of the season meeting between the divisional rivals, which is a shame only because the NFL scheduled both of those games early. After Kansas City, the Broncos get a stretch of six opponents that look very manageable, including two games against the Las Vegas Raiders, along with the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets.
In Other News...
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
Jonah Colemans return gave the Broncos a fresher look in the backfield in Week 7, and it came at a time when Denver needed one. After missing several games with an ankle injury, Coleman was back in the mix against the Arizona Cardinals and quickly made his presence felt in a win that pushed the Broncos to 5-2. His workload stood out right away, especially in a rotation that had been searching for a clearer answer on the ground.
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 🡒]