DENVER — As J.K. Dobbins was pushed out of bounds at the Bengals' 17-yard line, he crossed the century mark.
After improving his rushing totals in each week to start the season, the veteran player became the first Bronco to rush for 100 yards since Latavius Murray in Week 18 of the 2022 season — and paced one of the more impressive Broncos rushing performances in recent memory.
"That means a lot to me," Dobbins said after finishing with 16 carries for 101 yards. "I've been working really hard to get that, especially for [Head] Coach [Sean] Payton. I know that means a lot to him as well. My offensive line is blocking incredibly. I can't do it without those guys. It's a great feeling, and maybe I can go back-to-back now."
In Monday's 28-3 win over the Bengals, the Broncos recorded the second-highest rushing total since Payton began coaching the team in 2023 — and their 186 rushing yards were second only to last year's "Thursday Night Football" win in New Orleans. Denver averaged nearly 5 yards per carry on Monday night, with Dobbins recording an impressive 6.3 yards per rush.
As the Broncos found success on the ground — particularly in the second half — Dobbins credited a new-look approach from his head coach. Payton noted that in the Week 4 win, he aimed to have Dobbins and rookie RJ Harvey rotate series rather than come in and out of the game for specific plays.
"I think that helped both of them," Payton said. "Certainly, it is easier to call plays. Both of them got in good rhythms and earned hard-fought yardage. Those guys both ran hard. I thought we blocked them well, we pushed them well. We will look at the film, but it is good to have a 100-yard rusher. It was good to run. I don't know how many attempts we had, but that typically happens with a big lead. I'd love to have that many rushing attempts, but it is usually a byproduct of being ahead."
Payton said late in the game, when Dobbins recorded six rushes over a seven-play stretch, that he did not know Dobbins was closing in on 100 yards.
"I just knew he was running well," Payton said.
Dobbins recorded 47 yards on that drive alone as the Broncos drained the clock from 11:09 to 5:02 and iced the game. Following the win, Dobbins said Payton's strategy on Monday helped contribute to his success. Dobbins and Harvey — who recorded his first career touchdown — combined for 159 rushing yards and more than 200 yards from scrimmage.
"I'm one of those guys where if I get in a rhythm, if I get consecutive carries, I can get better," Dobbins said. "As the game goes on, I get better. I'm sure that's probably every running back, [and] they'll probably tell you that. So, tonight, in the second half, that's what you saw. I think Coach Payton is starting to figure me out and RJ out, and the offensive line out and just the whole offense. He's figuring it out, and he's doing a great job of putting us in the right position. The series, getting consecutive touches, you see what happens. ... That happened tonight because Coach Payton put us in that position."
The late-game rushing barrage was also appreciated by Denver's offensive front.
"Thirty carries and a bunch of yards on the ground and multiple runs in a row?" Quinn Meinerz said after the game. "It's what we want as an offensive line, and we're a good enough line to run the ball and also pass the ball pretty well. So, yeah, it was a good game for us and the O-line."
The Broncos' success in the run game could also potentially serve as a pillar of the team's offensive identity.
"Those guys ran the ball tough, and we blocked it tough," said quarterback Bo Nix, who set his own career high in passing yards. "We did a good job of running advantage runs for us. We got a hat on a hat, and the backs just did the rest. We moved them throughout the night. I thought that was really good for our O-line. They are playing really good.
"In Week 4 of the season, you kind of know a little bit more about what you want to be as a team. We are starting to find ways to click and find rhythm."
