The Broncos are finding paths to victory without the benefit of a consistent rushing game.

Denver rushed for only 72 yards in a lopsided home win Sunday over the Colts. The combination of running backs Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime combined to average just 2.7 yards per carry.

Quarterback Bo Nix led the team in rushing with eight carries for 23 yards.

Coach Sean Payton has discussed the challenge of using three running backs previously this season. On Monday, during his weekly teleconference call with local media, he looked inward for solutions.

“We’re not all the way through the tape yet just with our schedule. I would say there’s some looks that we have to be better at, relative to when we’re running a certain play into some tough looks where now you don’t really have the leverage,” Payton said. “We have to do a better job as coaches starting with me and having solutions when the looks aren’t what you’re practicing. Overall, I think it’s an area that as we — here we are with three weeks left in the season — we have to find more consistency there.”

The Broncos (9-5) travel to face the Los Angeles Chargers (8-6) on Thursday night.

CB Abrams-Draine impressive

Broncos rookie cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine (fifth round, Missouri) made his first NFL start Sunday against the Colts.

He impressed with a pass deflection late in the second quarter that prevented a touchdown. Abrams-Draine also recorded three tackles.

“He definitely possessed a chip on his shoulder yesterday and it showed with him making game-changing plays,” cornerback Pat Surtain said Monday at a charity event in Aurora. “You know it’s always tough for a rookie to go out there and play his first NFL start like that. But I think he’s very confident in his abilities. And he deserved to be in this moment. Because that’s what he is as a player.”

The Broncos benched cornerback Levi Wallace against Indianapolis, providing more opportunities for Damarri Mathis and Abrams-Draine. The rookie played in mostly sub packages, Payton said, with Mathis getting more snaps on their base defense.

“We felt somewhat positive when we looked at (Abrams-Draine) coming out in this year’s draft,” Payton said. “The last two weeks, he showed some moxie, stayed with his guys, didn’t panic when the ball was in the air. There’s something about him and so in both cases, I was really encouraged.”

Scheduling update

There were still no times or dates finalized for the last two Broncos games of the season — Week 17 against the Bengals (away) and Week 18 against the Chiefs (home) — as of late Monday.

“We think we’re playing the Bengals on a Saturday (Dec. 28),” Payton said. “I don’t know if it’s been announced yet or not. But we’re just trying to manage the Thursday game, and then the Saturday game, so these guys can at least have answers for their wives. That was really the whole point of it. The focus obviously for us is this Thursday.”