Broncos’ Ground Game Explodes Behind Dobbins and Rookie Sensation Harvey

A good football day sometimes brings rewards, and Denver Broncos rookie running back RJ Harvey left Empower Field at Mile High Sunday night with a couple of mementos of a job well done.

Harvey had a tight hold on his neatly folded jersey from the 44-24 victory over the Dallas Cowboys and said he had the football from his 40-yard touchdown run put aside as well. Harvey showed the full menu of his game Sunday, and fellow running back J.K. Dobbins had his second 100-yard rushing performance of the season.

"I'm always confident in myself," Harvey said. "[But it's] just one game, hopefully I can continue to do that each and every game. I'm proud of myself, [but] a lot more work to do."

The Broncos showed just how much their run game can power their offense in the blowout win, which featured the Broncos second-biggest yardage output of the season (426), when commitment meets production. Dobbins is now the first Broncos running back to have two 100-yard rushing games in a season since Melvin Gordon had three in 2021. Harvey had the first three-touchdown day of his young career -- two rushing, one receiving. Harvey's 40-yard scoring run accounted for most of his 46 rushing yards -- "just a toss play to the left ... nothing but grass, and I ran as fast as I could," Harvey said.

The Broncos averaged 6.4 yards per carry, as Dobbins led the way at 7.4 yards per carry in his 111-yard day. Dobbins had also topped 100 yards rushing in the Broncos' Week 4 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

"We ain't there yet. The dream is to get a ring," Dobbins said. "I do know a lot of people who didn't think I was going to be that good, to be honest. ... I do know me and my boys, we went over another 100-yard game and I don't know when that's been done in the past [with the Broncos]."

The Broncos' run game has been a bit of a riddle this season. Coach Sean Payton has consistently lauded its importance in the offense and in helping quarterback Bo Nix settle into games. And the players, from the linemen to the backs to Nix, have consistently said how good they believe the Broncos are at doing it. Earlier this season, Nix went as far as to say "when we run, we score."

Yet the Broncos have struggled at times to find the flow running the ball. Payton had said earlier this month that he felt the Broncos hadn't found their offensive identity yet and that they needed to "soon."

"We still haven't scratched the surface of what we can do," Dobbins said.

Granted, the Cowboys' defense came into Sunday's game at or near the bottom of the league's rankings in virtually every major statistical category. But it was still the best flow between Dobbins and Harvey this season. Many players said it was the best rhythm the team has found this season in the run-pass split.

The Broncos made the most of their 57 plays (a season-best 7.5 yards per play) with 28 rushing attempts to go with Nix's 29 pass attempts. They had a similar run-pass split in the other two games in which they exceeded 150 rushing yards. When they rushed for 186 yards against the Bengals, they had 38 runs with 42 pass attempts. When Denver rushed for 151 yards in the season opener against Tennessee, it had 30 rushing attempts with 40 passing attempts. But the Cowboys, Bengals and Titans are currently 29th, 32nd and 26th in the league in run defense, respectively.

"But we knew we were capable of it," tackle Mike McGlinchey said. "I don't think we're capable of scoring 33 points and only being able to score none in the previous three quarters [against the Giants]. ... I think what we are and what we're capable of was shown in the fourth quarter a week ago ... showed guys the mindset we need to be in all the time on offense and we showed that [Sunday]."The Broncos are searching to find that rhythm and mix against the AFC's power brokers to stay out of the pass-first pursuit mode they were in during the historic comeback win over the Giants a week ago. Three of the Broncos' next four opponents - the Houston Texans, the Las Vegas Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs - are currently No. 5, No. 12 and No. 13 in run defense through Sunday, so they will offer much more resistance. Still, the Broncos exited Sunday's win with plenty of confidence.

Raiders DE Maxx Crosby Weighs In on Sports' Hottest Topic

The Las Vegas Raiders are located in a city that provides the highest of highs but can also provide the lowest of lows.

 

Resources Abound

Several players from the National Football League have recently gotten into trouble with gambling issues. With the league's connections to sportsbooks and casinos across the country booming, sports gambling and gambling in sports by athletes has become a hot topic.

Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby has cautioned his peers to proceed with caution and use the resources available to them.

 

“I think it's just about being aware and educated on exactly what the rules are and what you can and can't do. Gambling is going be around, it ain't going nowhere. It's not going anywhere. It's not like you're going to ban all gambling and all these things because of the money it generates. But at the same time, as an athlete and a professional, you have to know what the rules are. There's certain things you can do and certain things you can't do. That's on you as a professional," Crosby said on Jim Gray's Let's Go! podcast.

"And if you have questions, you have the NFLPA, you got front office, there's people and resources around to know what you can and can't do. So it truly just comes down to that and being smart and not risking everything for a little quick money."

Crosby and most athletes make millions of dollars throughout the course of their careers, which makes it hard to understand how gambling debts become an issue. However, like most addictions, gambling addictions can be hard to explain or predict.

While the Raiders' defensive end does not understand how some players are willing to risk it all to gamble, Crosby understands how addiction works.

Oct 12, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) reacts after a play during the second half against the Tennessee Titans at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

"It's not like we're in a position where guys are gambling for future and generational wealth. The generational wealth comes from what you do on the field and what you do as an athlete. Risking that by cheating games or whatever it may entail, or guys trying to challenge the integrity of the game, I think is crazy to me," Crosby said.

Las Vegas Raiders Maxx Crosby

“People say addiction is a disease, and I truly can relate to that because, of course, I knew what I was doing and what I was doing was wrong. And when I was drinking, I was out of control. But I still went back to it because my wiring is that way. And also my upbringing and what I went through and the demons that I, that was my way of expressing myself and getting away from my reality. To the outside, we call it like normies, like people who don't have addiction problems, they're like, ‘What is wrong with this person? Why would they do that? If you have a drinking problem, stop drinking.’ It's not that simple."

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