Broncos rookie RJ Harvey scored an important touchdown in Week 7, marking just the second of his season. Little did anyone know that it would signal the beginning of Harvey's breakout, which more than carried over into Week 8 against the Cowboys. Harvey would score three times in Denver's blowout of the Cowboys, marking a rare hat trick for a rookie.
On his first carry of the game, Harvey exploded for 40 yards, his longest NFL run, his longest NFL score, and his first rushing touchdown of the season. On Denver's third scoring drive, Harvey would take a direct snap from the center for a wildcat touchdown, something that he did frequently during his collegiate time at UCF.
In the fourth quarter, Harvey took a play-action pass from Bo Nix for his third touchdown of the day, his second receiving touchdown. Harvey now has five touchdowns on the season, one of the elite marks amongst NFL rotational players and rookies alike. He is showing how explosive an option he can be for the Broncos, bringing a level of scoring threat that they had been missing for the majority of the season.
RJ Harvey is turning it on at the right time for the Broncos offense
For the Denver Broncos, the arrival of a player like Harvey is welcomed with open arms. In their two most recent games, the Broncos' struggles to run the ball have coincided with the struggles of their rushing attack. Whether it be the backs or quarterback Bo Nix, Denver's offense has no true identity without a running game to lean into.
In total, Denver's running backs totaled 172 all-purpose yards and three scores against Dallas, a dominating performance against the running backs that they both replaced. The Broncos' offense, especially Harvey, finally found the scoring that they have desperately needed. Following being shut out in the first quarter, three quarters against the Giants, the Broncos have now scored 77 points in the next five, including an absurd four Harvey scores.
If Harvey continues to produce as he has the last two games, he can expect more time in the Broncos offensive plans. Four scores in two games is impossible to ignore from the rookie, and the ability to almost mimic the Lions running back matchups can add an interesting wrinkle to Sean Payton's plan of attack. With Harvey, the Broncos are finally finding the explosive aspect to their offense they've been looking for after a historic rookie hat trick.