Sean Payton and the Broncos had a more concerted effort to run the ball

The Denver Broncos needed a response after their Week 1 embarrassment. And Sunday’s 20-13 comeback win over the Jacksonville Jaguars at Empower Field at Mile High delivered exactly that.

The biggest difference between this game and the Monday night disaster in Kansas City? Denver finally ran the football.

Against the Chiefs, the Broncos barely even tried to establish a ground game, finishing with just 15 carries for 61 yards in the 31-10 loss. It was a glaring issue that Sean Payton clearly took to heart over the week. On Sunday, the approach looked nothing like it did six days earlier. Denver ran the ball 28 times for 104 yards and a touchdown, nearly doubling their attempts and yardage from the opener.

J.K. Dobbins got the start and carried the load early, but his day was cut short after exiting in the third quarter with a hamstring injury. Dobbins finished with 10 carries for 36 yards before being listed as questionable to return. With RJ Harvey already ruled out before kickoff due to his own hamstring issue, rookie Jonah Coleman was thrust into the lead role earlier than anyone anticipated. Coleman didn’t flinch.

The fourth-round pick out of Washington finished with 10 carries for 39 yards and most importantly, punched in the go-ahead touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. His three-yard scoring run gave Denver a 20-13 lead with 7:21 remaining, capping a drive that was aided by a pass interference flag on Jacksonville’s Travis Hunter and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Jaguars head coach Liam Coen. Coleman then sealed the victory in the final minutes, ripping off key runs to bleed the clock and ice the game for good.

Sean Payton was asked postgame whether there was a concerted effort to run the ball more after what happened in Kansas City.

“Yeah,” Payton said bluntly.

He went on to explain the philosophy behind it.

“We’re built up front and a little bit more under center. You know, you’re constantly looking to find ways to take the quarterback off the high dive right?”

Payton continued, noting the symbiotic relationship between a quarterback and the ground game.

“The two greatest allies for that position are defense and a good run game.”

He finished by crediting his staff, including much-maligned offensive coordinator Davis Webb, and his offensive line.

“But, those guys up front did a good job, and D Webb did a great job. We had good balance. It was a good win.”

The run game wasn’t the only area that bounced back Sunday. Jaylen Waddle, who managed just one catch for two yards in Week 1, erupted for eight receptions and 138 yards against Jacksonville’s secondary. The Broncos scored 17 unanswered points in the second half after trailing 13-3 early in the third quarter, snapping the Jaguars’ nine-game regular-season winning streak in the process.

It wasn’t always pretty. Denver’s offense stalled early, the first half was a grind, and losing Dobbins added another layer of concern heading into next week. But the commitment to running the football changed the complexion of this game and gave Bo Nix the kind of support he desperately needed.

If Coleman’s fourth quarter is any indication, the Broncos might have found something special in the rookie.

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