For the Denver Broncos, their offense has suddenly become an incredible strength. Being led by the strength of their rushing attack and the vertical threats of their receiving core, Denver has scored 77 points over their last five quarters, something that felt impossible just six quarters of football ago. Denver's offensive improvement has been led by explosive plays, something they were sorely missing as well.
Interestingly enough, the Broncos' offense was mainly led by rookies on Sunday against the Cowboys. RJ Harvey recorded the team's first rookie scoring hat trick since Clinton Portis in 2002, serving as a nice balance with JK Dobbins, who rushed for 100 yards yet again. Harvey was able to score in three fairly different ways: a redzone reception, a 40-yard sprint, and a wildcat snap from the goal line.
On the other side of the offense, Pat Bryant broke into the endzone for the first time as a professional. He hauled in a dime from Bo Nix, one of his two receptions on the day. In total, he received a new career high of 40 yards and could be in line for a larger role in the offense heading into Houston.
RJ Harvey and Pat Bryant have the most to gain in Denver's Week 9 matchup in Houston
If RJ Havrey can be a consistent scoring threat for the Broncos, both with big plays and redzone matchup issues, he could see his role on the offense explode over the coming weeks. Denver has been missing a dynamic redzone threat for some time. While the likes of Dobbins and Courtland Sutton have shown they can score, Harvey is becoming a matchup issue for linebackers, considering his two receiving touchdowns against linebackers over the last two games.
Harvey's home run potential can't be denied, either. His 40-yard sprint against Dallas showed how quickly he can turn upfield once he hits a hole, something the Broncos haven't had out of their backfield since the days of Phillip Lindsay. As for the rookie receiver Bryant, he is beginning to show his receiving potential after displaying his elite blocking to start the season. If he can present both a blocking and receiving threat while on the field, it could help the Broncos disguise their offensive strategy and keep defenses on their toes.
Bryant figures to see more offensive reps this week, especially if Marvin Mims Jr. is out of action. Bryant has seen his role steadily increasing, shown by their trust in him with his redzone target. If his play continues to rise to the moment, he could become a regular fixture in the Denver offense by the time the playoffs come around.