Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins tried his best to get his team on the board early against the Las Vegas Raiders on “Thursday Night Football” at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver.
However, the Broncos’ offense has been rather quiet, only getting on the board late in the second quarter to tie the score at 7-7. That’s how the first half ended as both teams’ defenses dominated the game.
What’s Wrong With Broncos RB J.K. Dobbins?
In the first half alone, Dobbins only had four carries for 22 yards and no touchdowns against the AFC West Division last-place Raiders.
Dobbins, though, left the game with less than four minutes remaining in the third quarter. He limped off the field and was being looked at by Denver medical personnel. “J.K. Dobbins did not go to the medical tent, but is being looked at by trainers on the sideline,” according to a post on X from Broncos reporter Zac Stevens.
#UPDATE: Dobbins returned to the game on the Broncos’ next drive.
Before the game, though, Dobbins spent a sweet moment with his son that was captured on video.
J.K. Dobbins with his son pregame 🥹 pic.twitter.com/s2fqTi7bkf
— Romi Bean (@Romi_Bean) November 7, 2025
Dobbins also has one reception for seven yards as he’s trying his best to get the Denver offense behind quarterback Bo Nix on the right track. There was no indication that Dobbins was injured. It’s just been a real slow start for the Denver offense. In fact, Denver didn’t get its initial first down until almost midway through the second quarter.
So far this season, before the Thursday night game, Dobbins has 135 carries for 695 yards and four touchdowns.
According to the PFSN NFL RB Impact metrics, Dobbins is the 13th-ranked running back in the league with an impact score of 81.4 and grades out to a B-.
Dobbins was a second-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2020 NFL Draft after playing his college ball for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He played his first three seasons for the Ravens, then spent last season with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Between the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Dobbins only played in nine games after appearing in 15 in his rookie season in 2020. Dobbins tore his ACL in a preseason game ahead of the 2021 NFL regular season, and that sidelined him for the entire year.
Dobbins played in 13 games last season for the Chargers and has been a steady presence in the Broncos’ backfield so far in 2025. Besides his work in the backfield, Dobbins also provides Nix with an additional passing target when he can get loose downfield.
As the Broncos left the field, however, Denver fans made it clear that they were not pleased with the team’s effort. Dobbins will have to help the Broncos get their offense going in the second half. When healthy, Dobbins can shake tacklers and find open spaces through the offensive line.
Denver head coach Sean Payton probably hopes that happens more in the third and fourth quarters, where the Broncos recently have shown an ability to rally for victories.
#UPDATE: By the third quarter, Dobbins had 12 carries for 52 yards. For the game, he finished with 18 carries for 77 yards and no TDs.