Broncos analysis: RJ Harvey, rookie class shine in blowout win over Dallas. ‘Maybe they read someone’s article.’

Rookie seasons in the NFL are almost always full of bumps, bruises, mistakes and welcome-to-the-league moments.

RJ Harvey’s had his share.

The Broncos’ second-round running back made a mistake on a kick return last week.

He’s whiffed in pass protection a couple of times.

He’s been tasked with finding rhythm in games despite seeing limited reps behind Denver starter J.K. Dobbins.

The key is how quickly young guys can learn.

The No. 60 overall pick out of Central Florida made one adjustment in particular Sunday that had All-Pro right guard Quinn Meinerz cracking a wide smile.

“I’d say his biggest growth is he actually celebrated today,” Meinerz said. “I gave him a little bit of a hard time — his first (career) touchdown, he just kind of stood there. I was like, ‘Dude, we’ve got to get a little celebration or something.’”

Harvey got plenty of practice Sunday, bookending a dominant 44-24 Broncos win over Dallas with a 40-yard run and a 5-yard catch. He added a 1-yard, direct-snap plunge in the middle to become the first Denver rookie to score three touchdowns in a game since running back Clinton Portis in December 2003.

On the final touchdown, Harvey easily ran past man coverage from linebacker Shemar James, secured the score and then beelined for the retro-striped wall, where he leapt into the first row to celebrate with the Empower Field crowd.

“I’m always confident in myself,” Harvey said. “Just trying to have a great week of preparation every week, stacking days, getting better. Continuing to develop and learn behind guys like J.K. …

“It’s just one game. Hopefully, I can continue to do that each and every game. I’m proud of myself, but there’s a lot more work to do.”

Quarterback Bo Nix threw an interception on Denver’s first series, but it quickly turned into a feel-good outing across the board after that.

Nix played “marvelous,” head coach Sean Payton said after the second-year quarterback finished with four touchdown passes.

The defense largely kept Dallas’ high-flying offense in check even while playing most of the game without star cornerback Pat Surtain II, who sustained a lower right leg injury, returned and then was knocked out by a shoulder issue.

“I thought the game was pretty lopsided,” Payton said flatly.

Defensively, “I loved the fact that we took one of the top defenses in football against one of the best offenses, and we won on that side of it,” Payton said.

And offensively, Payton puffed, “It wasn’t close.”

Central to the win both immediately and as it pertains to the Broncos’ long-range fortunes this fall, however, is the rookie class.

Harvey rolled to three touchdowns on eight touches. Third-round receiver Pat Bryant caught his first touchdown and did his normal terrific work in the run game — including a crack block on edge Sam Williams to help spring Harvey’s 40-yard burst in the first quarter.

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First-round cornerback Jahdae Barron carried standout Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson up the seam in the closing seconds of the first half and secured his first career interception when Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott underthrew the ball.

“The best thing for him is you get to be a first-round pick, but you also get to come to a defense like ours,” inside linebacker Alex Singleton said of Barron. “He gets to learn, get put in certain packages and just kind of develop his game. He’s been able to do that, and then today he made a huge play.”

The group as a whole had contributed moderate production through the season’s first seven games.

Bryant (36% of snaps) had been playing the most, and his blocking isn’t readily quantifiable, but he and Harvey (29% playtime) had accounted for a combined 12.7% of Denver’s offensive yardage and 14.7% of the team’s total carries and targets.

Barron, thanks largely to Denver’s depth in the secondary, played 25% over the first seven games.

Sunday, the trio combined for four touchdowns and the first interception of the season by a Broncos cornerback.

“Maybe they read someone’s article, I don’t know,” Payton quipped.

For the Broncos, the rookie class’ breakout is two-fold: It helped them win Sunday, but it also suggests the group can play a bigger role going forward, too. It won’t be four touchdowns and a pick every week, but this group is important to Denver’s fortunes as November and the midseason mark approach.

Considering the team ran its winning streak to five games and is pacing the AFC West at 6-2, that’s no small burden.

“It’s crucial to a team’s overall success and continued success to have rookie classes that can continue to build upon that (production),” Meinerz said. “We’re three years into this system and this coaching staff, so they have a lot to catch up to. I’ve learned this offense for years at this point compared to some of the rookies. They’ve got to learn fast, and we’ve got to help them and bring them along and continue the culture we’re building here.

“There’s a big responsibility on the rookies to catch up as well as the vets to bring them along, and I couldn’t be more proud of this rookie class.”

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Bryant’s involvement in the offense is only growing.

Certainly, the Broncos would like to feel comfortable divvying up the backfield work more evenly between Dobbins and Harvey as the season goes along to keep Dobbins, who hasn’t played more than 13 games in a season since 2020, fresh for another three months.

Barron’s role could change fast, too, depending on the severity of Surtain’s shoulder injury. Kris Abrams-Draine got the first crack at replacing Surtain outside, but if anybody misses time, everybody slides up the pecking order.

Sunday, Denver’s kids showed they’re ready to carry more of the load going forward.

“It’s a great confidence-builder for us,” Harvey said. “Pat had a great game today. Jahdae had an exceptional pick today. We’re just trying to put on for this rookie class.”

Buckin’ Broncos vs. Cowboys

The Broncos faced the worst defense in the league Sunday, and head coach Sean Payton said the objective was to keep them there. Mission accomplished. In dropping 44 points on the Cowboys, the Broncos scored their most points in a single game since 2018 and the second most since the 2015 Super Bowl season. Here’s a look at the top four scoring games over Denver’s last 10 seasons.

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