New Running Back Is Coming To ‘Save’ Broncos Offense

The Denver Broncos finally found a missing piece to their offense in a rookie running back who energized Denver’s ground game, and Ben Solak of ESPN thinks that Jonah Coleman “is coming to save the Broncos offense.”

Solak playfully walked back his hyperbole a little by adding that might be a “little much,” but you can make the argument, and he did. On 19 carries so far, Coleman has averaged 4.9 yards, while fellow running backs J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey are at 3.4 and 3.6, respectively. 

The advanced metrics from NFL Next Gen Stats are even more dramatic. Coleman has generated 17 more rushing yards than expected, with Dobbins at minus-77 and Harvey at minus-34. That’s equaled four more first downs than expected, for a total of seven on just 19 carries.  

Critics have been trying to pin the blame tail on quarterback Bo Nix and the offensive line, but another advanced metric had the Broncos running backs getting 1.2 yards per carry before contact, which is well above league average. 

Solak also called Dobbins and Harvey “incomplete players,” which is harsh but not wrong. Harvey’s strength is getting out in space as a receiver, while Dobbins has yet to show what the writer referred to as the “athletic pop” to make plays in tight spaces following the Lisfranc injury that took him out down the stretch last year.

The lack of anything remotely resembling a running game left the Denver offense with nowhere to hide against the Seattle Seahawks especially. The result was one three-and-out after another to keep from turning the ball over, and Coleman at least offers some explosion and the ability to finish through contact. 

Solak also noted that it never should have come to this, but coach Sean Payton made the decision to trust Dobbins and his ability to come back. Now he’s transferred much of that trust to Coleman, largely because Payton has no choice. 

He’ll probably have to do the same when the Kansas City Chiefs come to town on Sunday. Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is almost certain to bring pressure given the tape he’s seen from the last couple of weeks, and Coleman’s ability to make even marginal gains to stay out of third-and-long situations could be the difference. 

Coleman is the X factor in this game, and in that sense he could indeed be saving the Broncos offense.