The Broncos finally did it. 

Their 37-game streak in the regular season without a 100-yard rusher is mercifully over.  

On Monday, in a 28-3 home victory over the Bengals, running back J.K. Dobbins carried the football 16 times for 101 yards. He is the first Broncos player to exceed the century mark rushing in a game since Jan. 8, 2023, when Latavius Murray ran for 103 yards against the Chargers. 

Dobbins reflected on the accomplishment in a postgame news conference at Empower Field.  

“That means a lot to me,” Dobbins said. “I’ve been working really hard to get that, especially for coach Payton. I know that means a lot to him as well. The o-line was blocking incredible. I can’t do it without those guys. It’s a great feeling. Maybe I can go back-to-back now.” 

The Broncos also found balance in the backfield between Dobbins and RJ Harvey. The second-round rookie contributed 14 carries for 58 yards. Harvey also logged four receptions for 40 yards and his first NFL touchdown catch from quarterback Bo Nix.  

“It’s a great balance,” Dobbins said. “I’m always in RJ’s corner. I’m always trying to help him and do everything I can to make him be a really good pro. He’s going to keep getting better, and we’re going to help each other in the long run.” 

Their joint production resulted from a new coaching strategy. Payton decided to utilize one running back for an entire series instead of mixing carries between Dobbins and Harvey in a given series. It worked. 

“There were certain tags that put either one in, but we gave them series. I think that helped both of them,” Payton said. “Where it’s certainly easier to call plays, and both of them got in good rhythms. There was hard-fought yardage. I thought those guys both ran hard. I thought we blocked them well. … It was good to have a 100-yard rusher.” 

Dobbins reached the rushing milestone late in the fourth quarter. On his fifth carry of the drive — with first-and-10 from the Cincinnati 33-yard line — Nix pitched the ball to Dobbins going left toward the near sideline. He followed excellent downfield blocking from left guard Ben Powers, tight end Nate Adkins and wide receiver Courtland Sutton for a burst of 16 yards.

“I’m one of those guys — where if I get into a rhythm, like if I get consecutive carries — I think I get better as the game goes on,” Dobbins said. “I’m sure that’s probably every running back who will tell you that. So tonight, in the second half, that’s what you saw. I think coach Payton has started to figure me out and RJ out and the offensive line out. Just the whole offense. He’s figuring it out and he’s doing a great job of putting us in the right positions.” 

The Broncos combined for 186 rushing yards. Wide receiver Marvin Mims and Nix also ran for touchdowns. 

“Thirty carries, a bunch of yards on the ground and multiple runs in a row? That’s what we want as an offensive line,” right guard Quinn Meinerz said. “We’re a good enough line to run the ball and also pass the ball pretty well. It was a good game for us on the o-line.” 

Meinerz called Dobbins and Harvey an “incredible duo” and said they have often joined offensive line meetings this season. Denver is emphasizing an outside zone scheme that requires runners and blockers to be truly in sync in order to be successful. It seems their work is starting to pay off.

The Broncos (2-2) aim to prove that Monday night was no fluke with a quick turnaround traveling to play the Eagles (4-0) on Sunday in Philadelphia.  

“We can get better,” Dobbins said. “Today, I had some runs where I could have broken a tackle and went to the crib, as we say in the locker room. I’ll be better and I’ll keep working on that. … We feed off of each other, pass game and run game. Nobody can stop us if we keep doing what we did tonight.”