Denver’s Dynamic Duos: Broncos Power Couples Establishing an Identity
For the first time this season, the Broncos put together a complete performance in their win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football. It was hard not to notice that the Broncos' standout players flashed in pairs. Bo Nix and Courtland Sutton have a special chemistry that is continuing to blossom. J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey are slowly proving to be an explosive and dangerous one-two punch. Pat Surtain II and Riley Moss can put the clamps on opposing team’s top receivers. And last but not least, Nik Bonitto and Jonathan Cooper rushing the passer is nightmare fuel for quarterbacks across the league. These dynamic Denver Broncos duos are the keys to Denver’s success through the rest of this season.
The Nix to Sutton Connection: Ole Reliable
Bo Nix and Courtland Sutton are establishing themselves as one of the league's up-and-coming quarterback and receiver tandems. Sutton has become a safety blanket for Nix, as he has six receptions on third and fourth down, resulting in four first downs and one touchdown (according to CBS Sports), highlighting their chemistry in key situations.
Sutton has displayed unwavering faith in Nix, despite his struggles, which has, in turn, given Nix the confidence to grow and keep slinging it Courtland’s way.
Deadly Duo in the Backfield
The one-two punch of J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey has taken some time to develop, but Broncos Country at long last got its first glimpse of how deadly this backfield duo can be. Against the Bengals, the tandem totaled over 200 total yards. Dobbins became the first Broncos running back to rush for 100 yards since Latavius Murray ran for 103 yards in 2023, and Harvey scored his first NFL touchdown. If this type of performance can be replicated on a consistent basis, the Broncos' offense will be hard to contain.
Pat Surtain and Riley Moss: Restricted Airspace
Denver’s secondary has struggled more than expected this season. After giving up two 300-yard passing games, Surtain and Moss got right against the Bengals. PS2 limited All-Pro receiver Ja’Marr Chase to one reception for eight yards (according to Next Gen Stats). Moss was also able to attain redemption for his previous matchup against Bengals wideout Tee Higgins, limiting him to 32 yards receiving after allowing over 150 yards last season (per StatMuse). It appears that the top two corners in Denver have their mojo back. They will need every ounce of it for their next game when they face another elite receiver pairing in the Eagles’ AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith.
Cooper and Bonitto: Partners in Law Pressure
If there is one unit on this team that Broncos Country doesn’t need to worry about, it’s the pass rush. Led by Nik Bonitto and Jonathan Cooper, Denver’s pass rush routinely leaves opposing tackles looking silly. Bonitto has 4.5 sacks through four games, in addition to Cooper’s 2.5. Their relentless pursuit of the quarterback energizes the entire defense, especially when they can collapse the pocket from both edges simultaneously, like they did when sacking Bengals’ quarterback Jake Browning together the first sack of the game. Meeting at the quarterback is becoming quite routine for this power couple.
Template for Success
The Broncos have been searching for their identity all season long. Their 28-3 rout of the Bengals on Monday night showed maybe they don’t have just one. This team is full of power couples that each bring a different element to the team. When in unison, the Broncos look like they could be an NFL juggernaut.
If Nix and Sutton continue to develop, Dobbins and Harvey keep plowing through defenses, Surtain and Moss lock down the secondary, and if Bonitto and Cooper keep harassing quarterbacks, then the Broncos could go from a team trapped in purgatory to an AFC contender.