2026 Week 3 Preview: Broncos Face Another Major Test Against the Rams
The Denver Broncos (1-1) will face one of their biggest tests of the 2026 season when the Los Angeles Rams (1-1) come to Empower Field at Mile High for a Sunday Night Football matchup in Week 3.
Denver bounced back from its disappointing season-opening loss to the Kansas City Chiefs with a 20-13 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2. Los Angeles also responded to a Week 1 loss, defeating the New York Giants behind an impressive performance from Matthew Stafford and Davante Adams.
The matchup should provide another early indication of where the Broncos stand against one of the NFL’s most talented rosters. Denver will need the version of its defense that showed up against Jacksonville, while Bo Nix, Jaylen Waddle and the Broncos’ rushing attack will face a significant challenge on the other side of the football.
Bo Nix and Jaylen Waddle Need to Stay in Sync
One of the biggest positives from Denver’s Week 2 victory was the emergence of the connection between Bo Nix and Jaylen Waddle.
After catching just one pass for two yards in his Broncos debut against Kansas City, Waddle exploded against the Jaguars. He caught eight passes for 138 yards, including a 49-yard reception that put Denver at the Jacksonville 1-yard line.
The problem was what happened next.
The Broncos could not finish the drive with a touchdown and ultimately settled for a field goal. Against the Jaguars, Denver was able to overcome that missed opportunity. Against the Rams, the Broncos may not get the same luxury.
That makes continued chemistry between Nix and Waddle particularly important in Week 3.
Waddle’s speed gives Denver a dimension it did not have a year ago, but his impact will depend on Nix consistently getting him the football. Los Angeles has enough talent on defense to make life difficult for the Broncos, meaning Denver will need to capitalize when it creates explosive plays rather than allowing those opportunities to produce only three points.
The Week 2 performance showed what the Nix-Waddle connection can look like when it is working.
Now, the Broncos need to prove they can turn that connection into points.
Jonah Coleman Could Be in Line for a Major Workload
Denver’s running back situation could also play a major role in determining how its offense attacks the Rams.
J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey are both dealing with hamstring injuries, and their availability for Week 3 could significantly alter the Broncos’ offensive gameplan. Harvey missed the Jacksonville game altogether, while Dobbins left in the third quarter and did not return.
If either or both remain unavailable, Jonah Coleman could be in line for a much larger workload against Los Angeles.
Coleman already showed in Week 2 that he can do more than simply fill in for an injured teammate.
The fourth-round pick rushed for 39 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries against the Jaguars. His fourth-quarter touchdown gave Denver its first lead of the game and capped a comeback after the Broncos had trailed 13-3.
Coleman then helped seal the victory late in the fourth quarter, picking up 12 yards on a crucial first-down run that allowed Denver to continue to drain the clock.
He also proved to be a reliable option in the passing game, catching all three passes thrown his way without recording a drop.
That versatility could become particularly valuable if the Broncos enter Week 3 without Dobbins and Harvey.
Denver will need to establish the run against the Rams, both to keep Los Angeles’ pass rush from taking over and to prevent Bo Nix from having to carry the offense on his arm. Coleman’s ability to contribute as both a runner and receiver could make him an important piece of that approach.
Whether Dobbins and Harvey are available will determine just how much responsibility falls on Coleman.
But if the Broncos need Coleman to carry a significant portion of the workload, Week 3 could become an important early opportunity for the rookie.
Denver’s Defense Must Bring Its Week 2 Form
The Broncos’ defense looked significantly better against the Jaguars than it did in the season opener.
After allowing the Chiefs to score 31 points and Kenneth Walker III to produce 191 scrimmage yards in Week 1, Denver held Jacksonville to 13 points in Week 2. The Jaguars rushed for 95 yards while averaging 4.0 yards per carry, a major improvement from the Broncos’ abysmal performance against Kansas City.
Trevor Lawrence completed 17 of 29 passes for 189 yards without a touchdown and threw an interception, while Denver also sacked him twice.
But the most encouraging part of the Broncos’ defensive performance may have been its ability to stall Jacksonville’s drives.
The Jaguars opened the third quarter by driving all the way to the Denver 5-yard line. Instead of allowing the possession to end with a touchdown, the Broncos forced Jacksonville to settle for a field goal.
That kept Denver within striking distance.
The Broncos will likely need more of those bend-but-don’t-break possessions against the Rams.
Los Angeles has enough offensive firepower to turn a few explosive plays into points quickly, and its rushing attack adds another dimension to the challenge. Kyren Williams and Blake Corum combined for 164 yards on 24 carries against New York, while Williams also caught a touchdown pass.
Both Williams and Corum also fumbled in the game, with the Giants recovering Williams’ fumble. Denver will need to capitalize if similar opportunities arise, particularly against an offense capable of gaining chunks of yardage quickly.
The Broncos do not need to shut down the Rams completely.
But the Week 2 version of the defense needs to show up again.
Matthew Stafford and Davante Adams Can Stress Denver’s Defense
Even if Puka Nacua remains unavailable, the Broncos will have their hands full with Matthew Stafford and Davante Adams.
Stafford put together an impressive performance against New York, completing 22 of 31 passes for 327 yards, four touchdowns and an interception. Adams was his primary weapon, catching eight passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns and demonstrating that he is still capable of functioning as a true No. 1 wide receiver even without Nacua in the lineup.
Nacua’s status will be worth monitoring throughout the week after he missed the Giants game. If he returns, Denver will have another dangerous receiving weapon to account for.
If he does not, the Broncos cannot afford to assume Los Angeles’ passing attack will suddenly become manageable.
Stafford has plenty of experience exploiting defenses that give him opportunities, and Adams has already demonstrated that he can carry a significant portion of the passing game.
Denver’s secondary will therefore need to communicate well and limit the explosive plays that were largely absent from the Jaguars’ passing attack.
The Broncos’ defense showed in Week 2 that it can withstand some pressure without completely collapsing.
Now it faces a quarterback and receiving corps capable of testing that discipline for four quarters.
The Rams’ Defense Still Has Plenty of Ways to Disrupt Denver
Los Angeles will be without Myles Garrett in Week 3, but that does not mean the Broncos can expect an easy matchup on the other side of the ball.
The Rams still have several defensive players capable of wrecking an offensive gameplan.
Future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald recorded three total tackles and a tackle for loss in his return from retirement, while Byron Young recorded five tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss and three quarterback hits against New York. Trent McDuffie also made a big impact, recording two tackles, four pass deflections and an interception.
Those performances illustrate the challenge facing Denver.
The Broncos cannot build their entire offensive gameplan around avoiding one player. Los Angeles has enough talent across its defensive front and secondary to create problems in multiple ways.
That makes early-down execution particularly important for Denver.
If the Broncos can stay ahead of the chains, establish the run and allow Bo Nix to operate from manageable situations, they can prevent the Rams from dictating the game with their pass rush and coverage. If Denver repeatedly finds itself in obvious passing situations, however, Los Angeles has enough difference-makers to make Nix’s night extremely difficult.
The absence of Garrett certainly changes the matchup.
It does not eliminate the Rams’ ability to disrupt the Broncos’ offense.
Denver Has an Opportunity to Build on Its Week 2 Progress
The Broncos showed plenty of resilience in their Week 2 victory.
After falling behind 13-3 in the third quarter, Denver scored 17 unanswered points to complete the comeback. The defense consistently found ways to keep the Jaguars from reaching the end zone, while the offense finally generated explosive plays and found a way to close out the game.
Now comes a much more difficult test.
Los Angeles has the offensive firepower to punish defensive mistakes and enough defensive playmakers to make life difficult for Bo Nix and the Broncos’ offense. Denver will need to play a more complete game than it did in either of its first two contests.
Can Nix and Jaylen Waddle continue building their chemistry?
Can the Broncos turn explosive plays into touchdowns rather than settling for field goals?
Can Jonah Coleman handle a larger workload if J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey remain unavailable?
Can Denver’s defense force the Rams to settle for field goals even when it gives up explosive plays?
And can the Broncos create turnovers against a Los Angeles offense that has put the football in harm’s way several times this season?
Those questions will help determine whether Denver can build on its Week 2 progress.
The Broncos showed they can respond to adversity.
Now they need to show they can sustain that response against one of the NFL’s most talented teams.
