Two Denver Broncos, R.J. Harvey and Wil Lutz, were each honored by the NFL and Pepsi on Thursday.
The rookie running back dazzled in Week 8, as the Denver Broncos blew out the Dallas Cowboys 44-24.
Meanwhile, Lutz has been a lock on his kicks, making all of his attempts in the month of October.
R.J. Harvey wins Pepsi Zero Sugar Rookie of the Week
R.J. Harvey scored three touchdowns in the win over the Cowboys, and for that he was awarded the Pepsi Zero Sugar Rookie of the Week honors.
R.J. Harvey is Rookie of the Week. Credit: Pepsi.
Harvey was one of multiple Broncos who enjoyed breakout performances, but he was the breakout of the game.
The speedy back started off the day with a 40-yard touchdown untouched. It was definitely helped by Quinn Meinerz blocking three different guys himself, but Harvey’s vision was brilliant, too.
His second touchdown came by way of a direct snap in a wildcat formation near the goal line. With Bo Nix lined up out wide in the backfield, Harvey took the snap and ran to pay dirt with ease.
Finally, Nix found the rookie running back for a receiving touchdown in the fourth quarter.
All told, he had 7 carries for 46 yards and 2 touchdowns. That was good for a 6.6 yard per carry average, which is insane. And through the air he caught that one ball for five yards and the score.
It was the first time a Broncos rookie scored three times in a game since Clinton Portis did so in 2002.
Harvey emerging as an important part of the Broncos offense will only help them going forward as they try to win the AFC West for the first time in a decade.
Wil Lutz wins Special Teams Player of the Month
Wil Lutz has been automatic this year.
Especially in the month of October.
He made all 15 of his kicks; Lutz went 6-of-6 on field goals and 9-of-9 on extra point attempts.
Keep in mind how crucial his kicks were, too.
The Broncos wouldn’t have beaten the Eagles–the team’s biggest win since Super Bowl 50–without Lutz’s two field goals of 55 and 36 yards.
In the 13-11 win over the Jets, Lutz’s 27-yarder in the fourth quarter won the Broncos the game.
And then, Denver needed him to be perfect in the 33-32 win over the New York Giants. He made five kicks in that fourth quarter alone, including the game-winning 39-yard field goal as time expired.
Meanwhile, Giants kicker Jude McAtamney missed two extra points in that game, opening the door for Denver to come back and win.
The Broncos are now 4-2 this year in one-score games, and Lutz has been crucial in those efforts. His solid kicking will be needed as the season goes forward, too.
It’s the second Special Teams Player of the Month award he’s won with the Broncos, the first coming in November, 2023.
Denver, R.J. Harvey, and Wil Lutz face the Texans in Houston this week with an 11 a.m. MT kickoff time on Sunday.
