Broncos Lead Running Back Doesn’t Think He’s Losing His Job

When it comes to running backs, there’s confidence, and then there’s J.K. Dobbins. The Denver Broncos lead back insists that he’s not getting passed by a rookie drafted in the fourth round, regardless of what the stats from rookie Jonah Coleman say.

Dobbins has also heard the noise about the Broncos trading for a lead back, and he knows what the numbers say about his efficiency, according to Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post. 

Instead, the running back has a ready-made excuse, which is the quality of the Broncos’ competition to date. His version of the story is that there’s a plan in place to keep him healthy through the regular season, because he hasn’t played in more than 13 games since his rookie year, per Gabriel. 

He says he’s dangerous when he’s healthy, so there’s a bit of a logic trap here. If he’s hurt, why is he playing? And if he’s not, why isn’t he dangerous now? 

Dobbins proceeded to walk Gabriel through the four carries he had for 20 yards, and he noted that one of his two second-half carries was a one-yard touchdown run. Coleman, meanwhile,  had five for 23 yards and two catches for 15. Those Coleman tallies included three carries on the drive that set up Dobbins’ touchdown run.

Coleman then stepped up on the final drive, getting 31 yards on just four more carries. 

But Dobbins says this was part of the coaching staff’s plan for him with the Broncos up 27-13 over Arizona, and he says the organization is on board with that plan. He says he’s always there to “coach my young guys,” even as coach Sean Payton said the Broncos “definitely” need to get Coleman more touches. 

Dobbins acknowledged that Coleman “played well,” and he’s earned the touches. 

Offensive coordinator Davis Webb had a different take on things, saying the Broncos “gave some guys some opportunities.” At first it was RJ Harvey in the passing game, the Dobbins, and finally Coleman “kind of got hot” and Denver rode Coleman until the end. 

The OC added that all of this is week to week. and Dobbins also came up with a reminder that the Broncos just played “six great defenses, all in a row.” 

Overall, this is delusional thinking of the highest order. Dobbins knows he’s out on a ledge when it comes to retaining his job, and he’s got a tough task to keep it.

If he was playing well, his take on this would be that the quality of the defenses don’t mattter and he’s going to get his yards. But that’s not what’s happening, so he’s developed a new storyline built around him to "explain" the situation.