Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos are 4-2 and second in the AFC West, but head coach Sean Payton has been upfront that the record flatters them.
After a 17-14 overtime escape against Seattle, one that saw the offense gain just 168 yards and was decided by a Ja’Quan McMillian interception and a 53-yard Wil Lutz field goal, Payton said Denver could just as easily be 2-4. Kansas City is 5-0 and beat Denver 31-10 in Week 1.
Nix, a third-year quarterback who threw for 3,931 yards and 25 touchdowns last season, is 114-of-189 for 1,049 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions this year, a 5.6 yards-per-attempt average he attributed to the offense’s trouble generating explosive plays.
Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
The ground game hasn’t provided much of a lift either. J.K. Dobbins has 270 yards and two touchdowns on 81 carries, a 3.3-yard average compared with the 5.0 he put up in 2025, while Jaylen Waddle’s 22 catches for 228 yards pace the receiving group.
The defense has been steadier, ranking 10th in the NFL in points allowed at 20.8 per game, with Zach Allen at 4.5 sacks and Nik Bonitto at 3.5.
Against that backdrop, Denver put rookie running back Jonah Coleman on the road back from injured reserve Wednesday with a designation for return, which opens a 21-day window to activate him.
The rookie’s season took a hit in Week 2 against Jacksonville, a Denver win in which he ran 10 times for 39 yards, scored his first NFL touchdown and sprained his ankle. The fourth-round pick out of Washington found the end zone on the ground 15 times for the Huskies last season, and his short-area quickness and balance drew praise from Payton in camp.
The Huskies product could be available as soon as Sunday.
The Broncos will visit the 2-4 Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Oct. 25, at 4:05 p.m. ET at State Farm Stadium in Glendale.
Denver Broncos Essentials
- 5 best Denver Broncos quarterbacks in history
- 5 best running backs in Broncos history
- 5 best wide receivers in Broncos history
- Empower Field: top 5 NFL home-field advantages
- Terrell Davis, Shannon Sharpe among best NFL draft steals
- NFL’s richest owners: What is Rob Walton’s net worth?
More on the Denver Broncos
- Bo Nix’s Missing Legs Could Decide Whether the Broncos Commit to Him Long Term
- Aqib Talib Responds to Ryan Fitzpatrick’s Thursday Night Criticism of Broncos QB Bo Nix
- Bo Nix Has 230 Passing Yards in Two Weeks, and That’s the First Fix Before the Cardinals
- Broncos’ 14 Straight One-Score Wins Are Hiding an Offense That Ranks 31st in Yards
