DENVER — The Broncos brought their best on Monday night.
Led by a career high in passing yards from Bo Nix and a 100-yard rushing game from J.K. Dobbins, the Broncos scored three first-half touchdowns en route to a 28-3 win over the Bengals. Defensively, the Broncos held Cincinnati scoreless after an opening drive field goal, sacking Jake Browning three times and limiting the Bengals to 159 total yards.
The Broncos responded to an early 3-0 deficit with a first-quarter touchdown and never trailed again, as they raced by the Bengals for a "Monday Night Football" win that evened their record at .500.
These were the players and plays that helped the Broncos earn a prime-time win.
GAME-CHANGING MOMENT
The Broncos' late two-minute drive — culminating in a touchdown pass from Nix to Courtland Sutton — padded Denver's first-half lead and sent the team to the locker room with momentum. It was an earlier touchdown, though, that may have been even more important. Through the first three weeks of the season, the Broncos were unable to capitalize on chances to push a lead to two scores. For the first time this season, Denver turned a lead into a multi-score advantage and put the Bengals away. Leading 7-3, the Broncos got a stop early in the second quarter and then marched 80 yards in eight plays to push the lead to 14-3.
Wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. recorded the first rushing touchdown of his career in the first half of Monday night's game, as he took a handoff from Nix and raced around the left edge. Rookie Pat Bryant delivered a solid block to spring Mims, who jetted toward the end zone for a 16-yard score.
The game was never close again, and the ability to put distance between themselves and the Bengals was critical as the Broncos improved to 2-2.
DEFINING STATISTIC
6-of-8 vs. 2-of-11.
The Broncos dominated the stat sheet in a lot of categories during the first half of Monday's game, but the third-down numbers were a welcome difference from Week 3. After Denver converted just two third downs a week ago, the Broncos were 6-of-8 on third down in the first half against the Bengals. The efficiency — which began on the early drives — helped the Broncos post three first-half touchdown drives to build an 18-point lead. Denver's defense, meanwhile, held Cincinnati on eight consecutive third downs after two initial conversions from the Bengals. Cincinnati was 2-of-7 on third down at halftime, and all four of the Bengals' third-down attempts in the second half also came up short. Passing yards, rushing yards, total yards, time of possession and a slew of other stats all fell in the Broncos' favor on Monday. But the third-down numbers particularly stood out and helped Denver to a big win.
MEMORABLE HIGHLIGHT
After a goal-line fourth-down attempt was picked off, it appeared the Broncos would go to the locker room with 14 points. Denver, though, forced a quick three-and-out — aided by a third-down sack — and got the ball back at its own 20-yard line. In just over a minute, Nix led the Broncos down the field and made a pair of stellar throws. The first, a 28-yarder to Mims, pushed the Broncos into scoring range. Then, after a defensive penalty stopped the clock, Nix lofted one to Sutton for a highlight-reel touchdown.
BOX-SCORE STANDOUTS
Nik Bonitto recorded another 1.5 sacks and now has the most sacks by a Bronco through the first four weeks of the season since Von Miller also had 4.5 sacks through Week 4 in 2021. Jonathon Cooper was also impressive, recording a series of quarterback pressures, two quarterback hits, a pass breakup and a half-sack.
Quarterback Bo Nix notched a pair of touchdowns as he recorded the most passing yards of his career and his third 300-yard game.
Wide receiver Courtland Sutton caught five passes for 81 yards and a touchdown to lead all receivers.
Running back J.K. Dobbins became the first Broncos player with 100 rushing yards since Latavius Murray in Week 18 of the 2022 season, while rookie RJ Harvey scored his first career touchdown on a fourth-quarter pass from Nix.
