J.K. Dobbins and the Denver Broncos have obviously heard to rumors over the past week.
Dobbins's body language in the Broncos' 30-16 win over the Arizona Cardinals last week was curious, and after a handful of early carries, the veteran's role gave way to rookie Jonah Coleman in the second half. Dobbins did get a goal-line carry in the second half, which he punched in from the 1-yard line, but aside from that, the Broncos mostly kept him on the bench while protecting a sizable lead.
Dobbins said there was a good reason for that, though. And he clearly doesn't appreciate the rumors that he's unhappy or that there's something greater at work to explain his diminished role last week. We've questioned it here at Denver Broncos On SI , too. We've also noted the rising trade rumors linking the Broncos to Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor.
"We were winning pretty good, right? Weren't we?" Dobbins asked 9NEWS ' Mike Klis on Thursday in a curious exchange from his locker. "Everybody wants me to play 17 games, correct? So can you take that into account before you start saying stuff like that? Because the coaches have a plan."
Dobbins referenced his " pinky promise " with the local press this past summer, a sacred covenant vowing to appear in all 17 games this season. He played the first 10 games of last year before suffering a foot injury in Week 10 that ended his first year as a Bronco.
The Broncos not only re-signed Dobbins, but they also gave him a 4x raise on a two-year, $16 million deal this past spring. What he's saying about the coaches' plan for him holds water; the Broncos want to get a good return on their investment, so in games where they're blowing out an opponent, there's not much reason to expose him to unnecessary wear and tear.
Jonah Coleman celebrates a first down. | Derek Regensburger / IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire
Dobbins still takes pride in coaching the young running backs behind him on the depth chart. Dobbins has looked out for RJ Harvey, and he says that veteran leadership applies to Coleman this year, too.
"This organization has a plan for me, and I'm always there to coach my young guys," Dobbins said. "I've said this from the beginning: RJ is my rookie. And we've got another rookie in Jonah. I'm coaching them to make their plays because I want to see them succeed."
Dobbins assured local reporters that his primary motivation is to win games.
"We were up by a lot," Dobbins said. "I want to win the game, and I also want to win in the playoffs and eventually get to the Super Bowl. So, to say... No, we're winning the game."
J.K. Dobbins walks off the field at SoFi Stadium in celebration. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
If the Broncos were losing games and Dobbins wasn't getting starter touches, it might be a different story, he said. But the Broncos are 5-2 and coming off a brutal initial six-game gauntlet to start this season, and that high level of defensive competition goes a long way toward explaining why he's averaged a career-low 3.3 yards per carry.
"I like to consider myself a pro," Dobbins said. "Now, if we're losing, and I'm not getting the carries, s**t, I'm going to be mad as f***. Sorry, excuse my language. But if we're winning and it's working,"
All three of Denver's top running backs contributed their fair share to last week's road win over the Cardinals. Harvey took a screen pass 52 yards to the house. Coleman led the team with nine rushes for 54 yards, closing the game out with some strong running to keep the clock running, while Dobbins scored his third straight touchdown of the season.
J.K. Dobbins gets tripped up by the Seattle Seahawks. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Broncos have a talented backfield, which is one of the reasons why their rushing offense being ranked 24th entering Week 8 is so mystifying. However, Dobbins said there's a reason for that: the quality of opposing defenses the offensive line and backs have faced.
"I mean, shoot, we've got good running backs," Dobbins said. "When I get out there-I know you guys want to bring up the numbers and me having a lower average than normal, because I always have five yards a carry-like, I just played six great defenses, all in a row."
Dobbins believes that the familiarity that Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdaniel and the Los Angeles Chargers have with him only intensified his struggles against those two defenses. Plus, the Jacksonville Jaguars were interested in signing Dobbins this past offseason, so as a matter of pride, they were focused on not letting him have a big day, in his opinion.
"To think that an NFL coach-the Seahawks coach, I was with him in Baltimore, so he knows me well," Dobbins said. "The Chargers know me well. The Jacksonville Jaguars, they wanted me in the offseason. You think they're just going to let me run it up their tails? No."
Bo Nix hands off to J.K. Dobbins. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Dobbins believes the noise surrounding him and the Broncos' ground game has been "blown out of proportion." As the Broncos' schedule opens up a little bit, his theory about the strength of schedule will be put to the test.
Dobbins gets a Kansas City Chiefs defense this week that's currently ranked 13th against the run, allowing just 99.5 yards per game on the ground. Then he draws the Carolina Panthers, whose defense is in shambles after firing coordinator Ejiro Evero on Friday .
The NFL trade deadline is two days after the Panthers game. Time will tell whether these Taylor trade rumors are smoke or fire, but if Dobbins wants to keep the Broncos from leaning in that direction, he'll have to make some hay over the next two games.
He's healthy, though, and with Coleman helping to shoulder some of the between-the-tackles load, Dobbins has a great opportunity to start turning the ship around. The veteran back believes there's still plenty of season left to get his numbers back up, and while that's true, the Broncos will likely be looking for assurances on that front over the next two weeks because after November 10, they won't have the freedom to make an in-season trade.
"We'll get it back above five (yards per carry)," Dobbins said. "It's a long season. I'm feeling great. The coaches are doing everything to keep me healthy, and when I'm healthy, I think I'm dangerous."
There's a reason the Broncos made Dobbins available at his locker on Thursday. The team may indeed be considering making a move ahead of the deadline, but they apparently wanted to nip the rumors surrounding Dobbins's purported dissatisfaction in the bud.
Dobbins is going to continue to start, but as I wrote earlier this week, if the efficiency isn't there, the Broncos have to be willing to lean on Coleman because the rookie's burst and twitchiness have given the rushing offense an explosive edge that has been completely lacking this season. That's been the case in the two games Coleman has received carries, anyway.
Harvey popped up on Thursday's practice report with a knee injury , so don't be surprised if Coleman again out-earns Dobbins in snap share because he's a more proficient receiver and pass protector. The Broncos have the horses in the backfield, but it's time to get more consistent production out of the group of talented players.
Dobbins may end up with more carries on Sunday against the Chiefs, but if Harvey can't go or is limited because of his injury, look for the Broncos to again rely on their fourth-round rookie.
At the very least, it'll be interesting to see how Dobbins responds against Kansas City after an awkward week. Iron always sharpens iron, but now he has something to prove.
What better way to do that than by having a big day in a game that will decide the AFC West leader at the midway point of the season?
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/broncos/onsi as J.K. Dobbins Sets Record Straight on Broncos RB Controversy .
