The Denver Broncos downed the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 14. Denver is now the No. 1 seed in the AFC Conference (for now). The Patriots are on bye, and the Broncos’ win puts their conference record at 7-2 (New England is 6-2). With one more win in Week 15, and two straight Chargers losses, the Broncos can wrap up the AFC West with three games to go as well.
RJ Harvey’s Coming Out Party
Broncos head coach Sean Payton was right. Week 13 had “nothing to do with the runner.” Harvey paced the backfield in Week 14, with 17 carries for 75 yards and a touchdown. The next running back had four carries. All told, the Broncos’ offense totaled 31 carries for 152 yards and two touchdowns. Harvey, meanwhile, added six receptions on six targets for 25 yards. He totaled 23 touches for 100 scrimmage yards.
Courtland Sutton Is Still the No. 1 WR
Sutton totaled 10 targets this week. The next wide receiver had four. Sutton parlayed the opportunity into six receptions for 62 yards. He led all wide receivers in targets (10), receptions (six), and yardage (62 — by 30 yards). We had it right the first time; Sutton is back.
Bo Nix Keeps Airing It Out
Nix attempted 38 passes in Week 14. It’s his fourth game in the past six that he’s totaled 35-plus pass attempts. Nix’s stat line below.
Nix: 31-of-38 for 212 yards, 5.6 yards per attempt, and an 89.9 passer rating. He totaled three totes for 15 yards and a touchdown as well — 227 scrimmage yards.
The touchdowns will come. Nix led a 14-play, 81-yard touchdown drive that lasted eight minutes and 54 seconds to open the game. He capped it off with an eight-yard touchdown run.
And after a three-and-out to start the second half by the Raiders, Nix led another 14-play, 91-yard touchdown drive that lasted nine minutes and 13 seconds. In fact, the Broncos’ offense totaled just seven possessions in Week 14. That is super low, but the long drives worked. The Broncos’ offense totaled four 10-plus play drives that lasted at least eight minutes.
Nik Bonitto Leads Defense With 2 Sacks
Bonitto totaled two of the Broncos’ defense’s four sacks. He totaled two of the Broncos’ defense’s five tackles for loss as well. Bonitto for president. He now has 12.5 sacks through 13 games. Bonitto is No. 20 in PFSN’s EDGE Impact Score, while the Broncos’ defense is No. 2 in PFSN’s Defense Impact Score.
Honorable mention: Wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. totaled 94 all-purpose yards and a touchdown. On to Week 15.