Denver Broncos running back Audric Estime (23) scoring a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Photo by Gary A. Vasquez/Imagn Images.
On Thursday night, the Denver Broncos briefly showed how effective their ground game could be before abandoning it, continuing a season-long trend. The team’s opening drive against the Los Angeles Chargers featured seven runs in 10 plays, covering 43 of the 72 yards. Rookie Audric Estime capped the drive with a 3-yard touchdown, giving Denver the strong, physical start head coach Sean Payton had been seeking.
“The first drive is the rhythm we wanted, the tempo we wanted,” Payton said.
However, the Broncos quickly moved away from the run, running the ball only 14 more times after their opening possession, including just eight carries in the second half. This happened despite Payton’s play sheet prominently featuring the words “Run It!” in bold letters.
Missed Opportunities
The Broncos squandered an 11-point lead, falling to the Chargers 34-27. The loss not only delayed Denver’s hopes of clinching their first playoff spot since their Super Bowl 50 win in 2015 but also dropped them to the AFC’s No. 7 seed. With identical 9-6 records, the Chargers hold the tiebreaker over the Broncos.
Payton expressed regret over his second-half play-calling.
“I don’t like the fact the network TV cameras feel like they can zoom into our call sheets, but it is what it is,” he said. “I thought we ran real well early in the game. … Second half, there were two series I kind of kick myself … we had ample opportunities in that second half.”
Denver’s struggles to sustain the run game are puzzling, given their success in generating explosive plays on the ground. The Broncos rank 13th in the NFL in rushing plays of 10+ yards, but they haven’t reached 30 rushing attempts in a game since Week 9. Over the last five games, no Denver running back has exceeded nine carries in a single game, except for Jaleel McLaughlin in Week 13.
Challenges in the Backfield
Payton has acknowledged the difficulty in balancing touches among three running backs. Javonte Williams, Estime, and McLaughlin form the core rotation, but injuries and inconsistent usage have limited their impact.
Against the Chargers, Estime led with nine carries for 48 yards but played just 13 snaps. Williams, who played 33 snaps due to his reliability in pass protection, managed only four carries for 24 yards while adding seven catches for 29 yards. McLaughlin missed the game with a thigh injury, leading to undrafted rookie Blake Watson’s debut. Watson had four carries on 10 snaps, while wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. took six snaps in the backfield.
“They played really well in the first half, gave us a spark, especially on the first drive,” said quarterback Bo Nix. “They both had a few good runs, and it’s just good to see those guys.”
Shotgun Formation and Its Impact
The Broncos have increasingly relied on shotgun formations, lining up in this set on 70% of their offensive plays over the last four games, including 71.4% on Thursday. While this setup often favors the passing game, Payton dismissed the notion that it has hurt their ability to run the ball.
Williams, however, has struggled this season, averaging 3.6 yards per carry — a full yard less than Estime. He has totaled 485 yards and four touchdowns on 134 carries but has averaged fewer than three yards per carry in eight games.
Playoff Stakes
With two games remaining — against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday and the Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 5 — the Broncos must establish a consistent running attack to keep their playoff hopes alive.
“I think it’s all of us,” Mims said. “We started out hot [Thursday], and didn’t keep it going. We’ve got to do better — we got in some long third downs, didn’t execute. As a group, we’ve got to do better. … When you have a fast start, you have to carry it the rest of the game.”
Payton’s focus on improving the run game could be the key to ending Denver’s postseason drought. If the Broncos can maintain the physical tempo they displayed in the opening drive against the Chargers, they’ll have a better chance of finishing the season strong.
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This report used information from ESPN.
