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Broncos' Biggest Winners and Losers From 30-16 Victory Over Cardinals

The Broncos' offense needed a get-right game, and the Cardinals obliged.

Oct 25, 2026; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Bo Nix breaks the plane on his 62-yard rushing touchdown. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Denver Broncos defeated the Arizona Cardinals 30-16 on the road to get to 5-2 in the standings. It sure didn't look or sound like an away game, with the overwhelming number of Broncos fans at State Farm Stadium.

With the Kansas City Chiefs losing to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night, the stage is set for the Broncos' rematch with Patrick Mahomes and company next week at Mile High. The Broncos have the chance not only to balance the scales against the Chiefs and avenge their Week 1 loss, but also to make headway at the top of the AFC West at the halfway point of the season.

As we sift through the aftermath of the Broncos' fifth victory of the season, let's talk about this team's biggest winners and losers.

Winner: Bo Nix | QB

Bo Nix runs 62 yards to the house. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Nix finished with 295 yards from scrimmage, but it was his 62-yard touchdown run that seemed to reignite his confidence. He also tossed a 52-yard touchdown pass to RJ Harvey, becoming the fifth player in NFL history to record a rushing and passing touchdown of 50-plus yards in the same game.

Nix finished 15-of-29 passing for 222 yards and a touchdown. After the game, Nix toyed with a local media corps that had been skeptical that he had fully healed from his fractured ankle suffered back in January.

"You believe me now?" Nix asked with a smile from the post-game podium.

Nobody should be questioning Nix's health anymore, and his big game in the desert seemed to salve whatever was ailing him between the ears in his recovery from that serious injury.

Loser: Jahdae Barron | CB

Jahdae Barron gives up a catch to Trey McBride. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Barron deserves a lot of credit for holding down the fort amid Patrick Surtain II's injury, but he had a rough game against the Cardinals. Barron was penalized twice for pass interference, and he allowed four of five targets to be completed for 41 yards.

Barron did finish with five tackles, and while his coverage was sticky, Jacoby Brissett was able to exploit him, especially one-on-one against tight end Trey McBride. Let's hope this game doesn't affect Barron's confidence too much because he's been a plus player over the past month.

Winner: Jonah Coleman | RB

Jonah Coleman celebrates a win. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The rookie returned from injured reserve and made a huge impact in his first game back. Coleman's burst brought an energy to the Broncos' ground attack that had been missing.

He also did well as a receiver out of the backfield and in pass protection. He finished with 69 yards from scrimmage on 11 touches, and averaged 6.0 yards per carry as a rusher.

The Broncos' run game is looking up with Coleman back on the field.

Loser: J.K. Dobbins | RB

J.K. Dobbins breaks through the hole. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Dobbins went from getting 17 carries last week to just six on Sunday, mainly because Coleman was efficient when he was on the field. Alas, Dobbins was only able to generate 23 rushing yards on those carries, though he did find the end zone on a 1-yard touchdown.

Dobbins did have a nice 13-yard run erased by an illegal shift penalty, so he did have a few nice runs. But his burst is nowhere close to that of the rookie.

I expected Sean Payton to balance the running back touches, but not in the rookie's favor. It could be a sign that there's a new RB1 in the Broncos' backfield.

Winner: Nik Bonitto | OLB

Nik Bonitto chases down Jacoby Brissett. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Bonitto was a terror all day long, finishing with a team-high six pressures on Brissett. Alas, Bonitto wasn't able to get home for a sack, but his presence was felt all game long.

With a solid head of steam built up over the past few weeks, it's very possible it could culminate in a big Bonitto night next week against the Chiefs and their undrafted rookie left tackle.

Loser: Jaylen Waddle | WR

Jaylen Waddle looks to make a move. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Waddle makes the "losers" side of the ledger, though it wasn't all his fault. As a receiver, he was solid, catching four of his seven targets (team high) for 48 yards, including a long of 27 down the right seam.

Alas, with the Broncos trying to protect a lead and kill the clock late, Payton decided to get cute and run an end-around, and Waddle bobbled the tossed exchange, fumbled it, and then fell on the ball as Josh Sweat landed on top of him, injurying his chest.

The injury didn't look good for Waddle, who was shortly thereafter escorted to the locker room never to return. With how well Coleman was running the ball late, it was an unnessary risk that Payton has already accepted the blame for, calling the play call "dumb." Let's hope Waddle's injury isn't as serious as it looked.

Winner: RJ Harvey | RB

RJ Harvey busts off a touchdown. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Harvey only carried the ball three times for six yards, but his two catches for 54 yards and a touchdown made a big difference in this game. On his 52-yard touchdown, Payton perfectly timed a screen to exploit the Cardinals' blitz-happy defense, and Nix, Harvey, and the Broncos' offense executed it to a 'T.'

It was Harvey's first receiving touchdown of the season and well deserved. Given the burst he shows as a runner, he's deserving of more carries than he's gotten of late, but it appears he's going to take a back seat in that department to Coleman and Dobbins.

Winner: Alex Singleton | LB

Alex Singleton tackles Tyler Allgeier. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Singleton finished with a season-high 19 tackles (12 solo), and was a whirling dervish out there. He was penalized for a ticky-tack roughing the passer call, but the veteran linebacker was a difference-maker out there.

In coverage, Singleton didn't hold up so well, allowing four of five targets to be completed for 38 yards, but he cleaned up those plays well. The team captain has a legitimate chance at notching 200 tackles this season.

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