Three weeks into the season, the Broncos’ snap counts are starting to tell a clearer story about who’s rising, who’s slipping, and who the coaches trust when the game gets tight.
That was on full display in Denver’s wild 30-26 win over the Los Angeles Rams, where the usage numbers matched the kind of chaotic, high-leverage finish that defined the night. Bo Nix and the entire starting five on the offensive line were on the field for every one of the Broncos’ 67 snaps, with Alex Palczewski picking up six snaps in heavy personnel.
At running back, J.K. Dobbins handled the biggest workload and the most touches, finishing with 49 rushing yards on 17 carries and one catch for four yards.
RJ Harvey got involved early after returning from injury, but a concussion scare slowed things down before he was cleared by trainers and an independent doctor to return. Harvey ended up with six catches for 41 yards and two carries for six yards.
Tyler Badie made his mark in a key passing situation, snagging a slant over the middle for 12 yards to move the chains. He also added one carry for two yards.
Tyler Badie made his mark in a key passing situation, snagging a slant over the middle for 12 yards to move the chains. He also added one carry for two yards.
The most interesting backfield number may have belonged to Blake Prentice, who logged just four snaps and no touches. That puts the Broncos in a tricky spot after cutting a player on the 53-man roster to make room for the veteran fullback.
Prentice was elevated for the third time last week, meaning Denver now has to sign him to the active roster or waive him. If he clears waivers, he could be brought back to the practice squad with a new set of three game-day elevations.
At receiver, Courtland Sutton again paced the group in snap share, with Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant right behind him. Franklin played 12 snaps and caught one pass for 21 yards, pushing him past 1,000 receiving yards for his career.
For the first time this season, Sutton also led the Broncos in receiving yardage, finishing with 46 yards on three catches. Bryant had two receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown, and he also hauled in a crucial two-point conversion while drawing a pass-interference penalty late that wiped out what would have been an interception and swung the game away from the Rams.
Pat Bryant had two receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown, and he also hauled in a crucial two-point conversion while drawing a pass-interference penalty late that wiped out what would have been an interception and swung the game away from the Rams. Waddle’s biggest moment came on a two-point conversion catch that stood out as one of the best routes and catches in recent memory, even though he finished with only two catches for 10 yards. He also added a 14-yard jet sweep that moved the chains.
Tight end usage shifted as well, with Evan Engram jumping past Adam Trautman for the top snap total at the position. Some of that came down to game flow, but it also showed how much the staff trusts Engram as a blocker.
He was targeted twice and didn’t catch a pass, though he did draw a key illegal hands to the face penalty that helped set up Denver’s final go-ahead touchdown. Trautman didn’t touch the ball, but he did most of his work as a blocker.
Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps. Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps.
Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps. Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps.
Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps. Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps.
Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps. Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps.
Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps. Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps.
Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps. Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps.
Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps. Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps.
Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps. Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps.
Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps. Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps.
Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps. Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps.
Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps. Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps.
Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps. Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps.
Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps. Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps.
Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps. Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps.
Adam Trautman did not touch the ball, though he did block on most of his snaps.
Chris Adkins caught one pass for eight yards and scored his second touchdown of the season.
On the defensive line, Zach Allen remained the snap leader, while Jordan Jackson was active over Sai'vion Jones. Allen and John Franklin-Myers have been the steady leaders in snap share so far this season, with D.J.
Jones and Malcolm Roach rotating for the third spot. Jackson got into his first game action of the year and played 17 snaps.
Allen finished with a sack, two tackles, and a team-high seven pressures on Matthew Stafford. Uwazurike also added a sack, and Roach finished with six pressures, second on the team.
At outside linebacker, Nik Bonitto reclaimed the top snap role and finally got on the board with his first sack of the season. He led the group with five pressures.
Jonah Elliss was close behind him with 53 snaps, but he finished with just two pressures. Que Robinson out-produced Dondrea Tillman in the rotation, posting three pressures to Tillman’s two.
Alex Singleton was one of three defenders to play every snap, which came out to 86 plays, and he finished with eight tackles. Justin Strnad added four tackles, and Jonah Turner got on the field for a single defensive snap again.
Pat Surtain II and Ja’Quan McMillian also never came off the field on defense, but both had rough nights. Surtain was targeted heavily by Davante Adams, while McMillian allowed a touchdown, took a bad angle on another Rams score, and was hit with a costly pass-interference penalty.
McMillian struggled a bit in this one too, though he was more steady than Surtain or Moss. It was encouraging to see Barron get more run, as his 24 snaps were a season high through three games.
He finished with a solo tackle but allowed all three of his coverage targets to be completed for 22 yards.
PFF credited Surtain with 11 targets, six completions, and 88 yards allowed. The Broncos will be hoping for a cleaner night from him next week against the San Francisco 49ers.
On the back end, Talanoa Hufanga saw fewer snaps than Brandon Jones for the first time this season, perhaps because he needed a breather after his 67-yard pick-six. Hufanga was Denver’s best coverage defender anyway, allowing none of his four targets to be completed.
He also intercepted Stafford again to close out the game and seal the win, and he added five tackles and a sack. Jones had a strong game too, leading the team with 12 tackles while allowing three completions on five targets for just 17 yards.
It was also good to see Key get defensive snaps for the first time this season.
In Other News...
Matthew Stafford Sparked A Broncos Debate With His Tunnel Exit
A postgame video from Empower Field gave Broncos fans something else to talk about after the win over the Rams, and it had nothing to do with the scoreboard. Matthew Stafford was seen walking through the tunnel and appearing to spit, with some viewers wondering whether it was aimed at Denvers 5280 sign, though there was no clear evidence or official confirmation of where it landed.
Stafford had just put together a big passing night in the loss, throwing for 390 yards and two touchdowns, but he also turned it over twice. For Denver, the on-field result was the headline, yet the tunnel clip added a little extra edge to a game that was already going to be picked over from every angle. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Fans Have A New Reason To Debate That Late Flag
Pat Bryant turned a chaotic late sequence into one of the defining moments of the Broncos comeback win over the Rams, and he did it with a little gamesmanship that will keep fans talking. Bryant acknowledged that he exaggerated the contact on the play that drew the pass interference flag, wiping out a late Los Angeles interception and keeping Denvers drive alive long enough for Bo Nix to finish it with the winning touchdown.
For the Broncos, the larger takeaway is that Bryant was productive beyond that one controversial snap. He caught multiple passes and scored a touchdown, giving Denver another useful piece in a game that swung on a handful of high-leverage plays. Still, the late flag is the kind of moment that tends to linger, especially when it directly helped set up the comeback finish. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Just Found A Huge AFC West Opportunity
The early part of the AFC West has already handed Denver a chance to breathe a little easier. The Chargers are off to an 0-3 start, and the issues have shown up on both sides of the ball, with the offense sputtering and the defense unable to steady things. For a Broncos team trying to keep pace in a rugged division, that kind of stumble in Los Angeles matters.
Justin Herbert has drawn criticism for some of his decision-making, while Jim Harbaugh has been publicly supportive and demanding at the same time, trying to push more from his quarterback and the team around him. There have also been signs of friction inside the locker room, with Derwin James calling out the sloppiness. Denver does not need a rival collapse to be perfect, but this is the sort of early opening contenders watch closely. [Read more 🡒]