Broncos' Running Game Analysis Without J.K. Dobbins

Why this matters: Dobbins' injury forces the Broncos to adapt their offensive strategy. The success of Harvey and McLaughlin in filling this void is critical to maintaining a balanced attack and playoff aspirations.

With J.K. Dobbins sidelined, the Denver Broncos have had to adjust their running game. Analyzing the two games without Dobbins, the Broncos averaged only 3.4 yards per carry against the 17th and 27th ranked rushing defenses, a significant drop from the 5.0 yards per carry Dobbins averaged.

RJ Harvey, now the lead back, averages 3.8 yards per carry with a 39.2% success rate, while Jaleel McLaughlin averages 3.3 yards per carry with a 46.2% success rate. In the first ten games with Dobbins, the Broncos averaged 5.5 yards per carry on first down, but this has decreased to 2.8 and 3.5 yards in the last two games.

One of the main issues is the inability of Harvey and McLaughlin to break arm tackles, a strength of Dobbins. Dobbins had 9 broken tackles in the run game, while Harvey and McLaughlin have combined for zero. Despite these challenges, Coach Payton supports his runners, focusing on improving blocking schemes. Harvey has shown promise as a receiver, providing valuable yards after the catch.

The Broncos' rushing performance has declined significantly without Dobbins, with a decrease in yards per carry and first-down success.

RJ Harvey and Jaleel McLaughlin are the primary backs, but they haven't matched Dobbins' production.

Payton believes the issues stem from blocking schemes and remains confident in the runners.

Do you think the Broncos can overcome Dobbins' absence and maintain a strong running game? Let us know!

Share this article with others who need to stay ahead of this trend!