3 Encouraging Takeaways from Broncos' 28-3 Win Over Bengals on MNF

The Denver Broncos dominated the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night. What did we learn?

Sep 29, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) celebrates after scoring a touchdown on a pass from Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) during the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

For the first time since the season opener, the Denver Broncos earned a victory, snapping their two-game losing streak in a commanding 28-3 win over the now 2-2 Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football.

The primetime victory at Mile High gets the Broncos back to a .500 record and keeps them tied for second place in the AFC West with the 2-2 Kansas City Chiefs.

It wasn’t perfect, and this win didn't come against an AFC juggernaut opponent, but Sean Payton’s team has an undefeated home record, defeating the Bengals by 25 points. 

While some may scoff that the game was destined to showcase a pathetic Bengals squad and that the Broncos should feel fortunate that quarterback Joe Burrow wasn’t available, the fact of the matter is that Denver convincingly won a game that it was supposed to. After all, NFL teams will never apologize for how a victory is earned, especially during a 17-game season. 

But the celebration will be short-lived, as the Broncos have a date in the City of Brotherly Love with the 4-0 Philadelphia Eagles on a short week. Before we get to Week 5, we still have the aftermath of MNF to break down.

What did we learn in Week 4? Let’s review three valuable takeaways from the Broncos’ primetime win against the Bengals.

Denver’s WR Duo Proves Dangerous

Broncos running back Marvin Mims Jr. scores a touchdown against the Bengals. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It may have taken four weeks, but the Broncos' offense finally displayed a duo of playmakers to stretch the field and score touchdowns. Broncos' wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. scored the team’s second touchdown of the game on an impressive 16-yard run that saw fellow wideout and rookie Pat Bryant make a pivotal block against a Bengals defensive back that sealed the score.

About eight minutes later, it was team captain Courtland Sutton who reeled in a 20-yard touchdown pass from Bo Nix with just eight seconds left in the first half.

.@SuttonCourtland's really like that. 🙌

📺: ABC pic.twitter.com/bMPUGqg1iZ

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) September 30, 2025

The last three weeks, we’ve been forced to lament how just one receiver had been featured in Payton’s offense, but that was hardly the case on Monday night. Denver’s offense saw nine separate receivers log at least one reception, with Sutton and Mims combining for 11 receptions, 150 receiving yards, and a touchdown. Plus, Mims scored on the ground on a jet sweep.

It felt like Payton finally saw what the rest of the fan base had been clamoring for by getting his playmakers in space with the ball. Nix led a Broncos offensive passing attack that averaged 7.8 yards per play and featured three wideouts with at least 50 yards receiving.

Denver’s offense was equally improved on third down, going 8-for-14, while also being 3-for-4 in the red zone. Nix led his team to victory and finished the game 29-of-42 for 326 passing yards and two touchdowns, with one interception.

Penalties, drops, and Nix’s bonehead turnover still popped up in this blowout victory, but the Broncos' offense finally proved to itself that it's capable of scoring points with more than one receiver.

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Dobbins & Harvey Usher in the Payton-Era Rushing Attack

Sep 29, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins (27) rushes during the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Nobody could question Payton’s commitment to running the football against the Bengals' defense on Monday night. The Broncos, who hadn't logged a 100-yard rusher in 38 games, shattered that unflattering statistic with J.K. Dobbins, the veteran running back.

The 26-year-old back is in his first season in Denver, entering the contest having scored a touchdown in every game prior, and has been the undisputed starter in the backfield. Dobbins’ dominant performance earned him 101 rushing yards and a 6.3 yards per carry average, getting his head coach the nod from Broncos Country.

Even Dobbins’ teammate, rookie running back RJ Harvey, had a healthy outing, scoring his first touchdown as a pro midway through the fourth quarter on a 12-yard pass from Nix. The second-round pick from UCF is finally showing glimpses of the change-of-pace playmaker that fans envisioned when he was drafted last spring, rushing for 58 yards in addition to 40 receiving yards and a touchdown. Two yards short of 100 yards from scrimmage.

All day, @rjharvey07‼️

📺: ABC pic.twitter.com/mJX74bI3DS

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) September 30, 2025

Payton’s poised play-calling outclassed Cincinnati, as the Broncos earned 29 first downs compared to the Bengals' nine, in addition to running almost double the number of offensive plays. Denver also possessed the football for almost an entire quarter longer than its opponent and posted an impressive 186 total rush yards, averaging 4.9 yards per play.

Dobbins and Harvey were officially unleashed by Payton on Monday Night Football. If the Broncos' offense is to continue its ascension on a weekly basis, it’ll be behind the one-two punch of its new running back duo that is fitting right into Denver’s rich history of rushing. 

Broncos Surrender a Field Goal, No Touchdowns

Sep 29, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) sacks Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning (6) during the third quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

For the second time at home this season, the Broncos' defense refused to surrender a single touchdown in a contest that earned them the victory. Much like the Broncos' 20-12 victory in Denver against the Tennessee Titans in Week 1, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph’s aggressive and well-prepared unit was effective in halting nearly the Bengals’ offensive momentum throughout the entire game with aggressive pursuit and inspired effort. 

Now, don’t get me wrong; early in the first quarter, when Cincinnati receiver Tee Higgins was getting the better of Denver’s cornerback Riley Moss, I was getting some flashbacks to last year’s contest that earned Higgins 11 catches for 131 yards and three touchdowns.

But Moss and his unit made the necessary adjustments to combat the Bengals' passing attack as Higgins only managed to record three receptions for 32 yards. Compare that with Ja’Marr Chase’s five receptions for 23 yards, the 2024 triple crown receiver extraordinaire, and it’s easy to tell why the Broncos were able to bully Cincinnati. 

Jake Browning went 14-for-25 for 125 passing yards. It was about as vanilla a performance as a backup quarterback could deliver, as he was under relentless pressure by Nik Bonitto, John Franklin-Myers, and Jonathon Cooper, who combined for three sacks against the Bengals. 

That’s 4.5 sacks on the season for @nikkkkbonitto 😤

📺: ABCpic.twitter.com/CXWqxQT1nv

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) September 30, 2025

Denver’s defense stifled Cincinnati on third down, with the Bengals offense converting just 2-of-11. Toward the end of the contest, the Broncos' defense forced eight straight third-down stops. Cincinnati was also 0-for-1 in the red zone and averaged a measly 3.7 yards per play.

While the Broncos' defense was the dominant bully of the schoolyard, I’m curious to see what they’ll look like when they step into another bully’s house this coming Sunday in Philly. Perhaps it’s time for Denver to pick on someone its own size, as the Philadelphia Eagles await.