ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Audric Estime believes there is a time for a running back to put his head down and keep churning -- make his crease and push the pile. That approach helped him work past some early-season fumbles, but its effectiveness might have been best illustrated on the Denver Broncos' final drive in Kansas City this past Sunday.
That 43-yard drive, which set Denver up for a potential statement win before it was cruelly extinguished by a blocked 35-yard field goal attempt on the game's final play, worked exactly as designed. And Estime, a fifth-round rookie, was the running back tasked with pushing for the win.
"I know I kind of said it after the game, but sometimes coaches show you when they have faith in you," Estime said. "[Broncos running backs] coach Lou [Ayeni] and everybody, hopefully they want to keep trusting me more and more in those situations. You always want that trust."
The Broncos handed the ball off to Estime five times on that final drive against the Chiefs, capping a game in which he finished with 53 yards on 14 carries. And while that workload doesn't quite harken memories of Terrell Davis, it was nine carries more than Estime has had in a game this season. It was also 12 more than Javonte Williams, the Broncos' leading rusher this season, had against Kansas City and 13 more than Jaleel McLaughlin, Denver's No. 2 running back, was given.
The 53 yards rushing were the most in the six games Estime has played this season -- he missed four games after suffering an ankle injury in the season opener. It is a sign of things to come as the Broncos get set to host the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday (4:05 p.m. ET, Empower Field at Mile High, Fox), at least if coach Sean Payton maintains his assessment of Estime's play.
"I was encouraged," Payton said. "He'll continue to get more reps."
It has been a steady dig out for Estime since an inauspicious debut. His first carry of the season in Week 1 against the Seahawks went for 13 yards, but he fumbled when he tried to make it 14 yards. Broncos tight end Adam Trautman recovered the fumble, then Estime injured his ankle a quarter later on his second carry. In his second game back from injured reserve -- Week 7 in New Orleans -- he fumbled on his fifth and final carry during a Broncos blowout win.
He had only one carry against Carolina's 32nd-ranked run defense the following week and five, including a 21-yarder, in a Week 9 loss in Baltimore. But he kept showing flashes of why the Broncos drafted him -- decisiveness on inside runs, breaking tackles and finishing with purpose.
"Every time you get the ball, you want that feeling that you did everything you could on that play," Estime said. "You want to just help to move the ball, help us win, I'm always obsessed with that feeling that every run should be everything you have."
Estime's 5.1 yards per carry (29 carries, 148 yards) is clearly the best among the three Broncos running backs with more than 15 carries this season. It's 1.3 yards per carry better than what Williams has produced (103 carries, 388 yards) and 1.1 better than McLaughlin (55 carries, 220 yards). Estime has had three runs of more than 10 yards, too. He would have added a 17-yarder this past Sunday had it not been called back by a holding penalty.
When the Broncos evaluated him before the draft, coaches and personnel executives kept coming back to Estime's ability to carve out room in the middle of the field, something that has been missing from Denver's rushing attack over the first 10 games this season. (Payton's search for more in the run game not only increased Estime's workload but also saw wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. in the backfield on several snaps, including as the single back.)
According to ESPN Research, Estime's 816 rushing yards after contact at Notre Dame in 2023 ranked 10th in the FBS, and his 3.9 yards after contact per rushing attempt ranked fifth among players with at least 150 rushing attempts. That ability could allow Denver to add more power to its rushing attack.
The Broncos have been most productive in their zone run game, plays in which offensive linemen move in same direction. They are 10th in the league in yards per carry on outside zone plays (4.5) and seventh in yards per carry on inside zone plays (4.6), per ESPN Research. But when they attempt a more direct power-based approach on the inside by utilizing power or duo runs (two double-teams at the point of attack), they are 27th and 18th in the NFL in yards per carry, respectively.
That's where the 227-pound Estime, the Broncos' biggest back, comes into play.
"I just felt like in that game I had to play like a vet,'' said Estime, who turned 21 in September and is one of the youngest players in the league. "... It was such a confidence boost they kept me out there to try to help finish it out. The coaches said after the game I grew up and I think I'm ready to keep growing."