The Denver Broncos beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8 thanks to more fourth quarter magic. The Broncos actually scored pretty evenly across the game: 3 points in the first half and 15 in the second half, but the team's 15 points came in the fourth quarter when the Chiefs had an 11-point lead.
While many of us sincerely thought that the late-game magic was not going to be there, it suddenly was. Running back Jonah Coleman also showed out in this game, amassing 104 scrimmage yards and a touchdown, including a long reception in the fourth quarter to set the Broncos up for what turned into the game-winning touchdown.
And on the flip side, J.K. Dobbins just was not at all a factor in Week 8, and you almost have to wonder if Week 8 is his swan song with the Broncos.
Denver Broncos' RB J.K. Dobbins played just one snap in the second half and just 13 in Week 8
Here are the snap splits from Week 8 - Coleman played 41 snaps, a whopping 28 more than Dobbins.
Broncos running back snap count in Sunday's win over the Chiefs:
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) November 2, 2026
Jonah Coleman: 41
J.K. Dobbins: 13
Cody Schrader: 2
After Dobbins' 8-yard loss early in the second quarter, he played just four snaps -- 30 fewer than Coleman from that point forward.
Dobbins was also on the field for just one, one snap in the second half. It was truly the Coleman show. And if RJ Harvey was healthy, Dobbins may have seen even fewer than 13 snaps.
J.K. Dobbins played one (1) snap in the 2nd half.
— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) November 2, 2026
Shortly after the game, Zac Stevens also seemed very confident that the Broncos are going to land Jonathan Taylor from the Indianapolis Colts in a trade:
The Broncos want Jonathan Taylor, per @ZacStevens 🗣️
— DNVR Broncos (@DNVR_Broncos) November 2, 2026
"I believe the Broncos are going to do everything in their power to trade for Jonathan Taylor. This could happen at any moment. You might not want to go to sleep Broncos Country."
"The Broncos are going to try to pull this… pic.twitter.com/ixzuSTSsYy
When you couple all of this together, it is worth wondering if Dobbins did just play his final snaps with the Broncos - he has averaged just 3.3 yards per carry this year. Despite playing in every game, which is a win, Dobbins just isn't producing like he did last year. It's turning into a situation where you simply can't put him on the field at this point.
He's not exactly valuable as a pass catcher, doesn't pass protect better than Harvey or Coleman, and isn't effective as a runner anymore. It's been a quick regression for Dobbins, who legitimately was one of the most efficient running backs in football in 2025.
Whether he's playing hurt or just washed-up, something is wrong, and you kind of now wonder if it's only a matter of time before a major RB move is made. The Broncos getting to 6-2 puts them in a good position to win the AFC West, and they're also well within range to earn the top seed in the AFC for a second year in a row.
Adding a difference-maker in the backfield makes all the sense in the world, as both Harvey and Tyle Badie are on IR, and Dobbins isn't playable anymore. This could be the end for Dobbins in Denver.
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