The Denver Broncos fell to the San Francisco 49ers in a 24-14 loss in Week 4 of the 2026 NFL season on Sunday afternoon. Here are five quick takeaways following that defeat on the road.
1. Broncos were hit extremely hard by injuries: Broncos starting cornerbacks Pat Surtain (ankle) and Riley Moss (ribs) did not return after halftime, and wide receiver Pat Bryant (ankle) was carted off the field in the third quarter. As of the time this post is being scheduled, we don't have notable updates on any of those three injuries (coach Sean Payton said he was waiting for updates himself in his post-game press conference). Denver's off on Monday and Tuesday, but if any of the injuries are serious, national reporters will likely break the news before Wednesday's
practice.
2. Denver’s run game is still grounded: J.K. Dobbins started the game, but RJ Harvey was more involved early, and he ended up with the most touches. Dobbins led the team with 11 carries, but Harvey added 10 receptions to his seven carries. Harvey proved to be a productive receiver out of the backfield, hauling in all 10 targets for 68 yards, but he and Dobbins both averaged just 3.6 yards per carry. Tyler Badie wasn't any better on a small sample size of 3.5 yards per carry on two attempts (Badie did add two receptions for 32 yards). As a team, the Broncos averaged 3.7 yards per carry, which is a disappointing number as the club struggles to establish the run.
3. Broncos’ edge defenders are invisible: Denver went into Sunday's game depleted at outside linebacker as Dondrea Tillman was ruled out with a hamstring injury and Jonathon Cooper remains on the commissioner's exempt list as he waits a mid-November trial. The Broncos had three OLBs available against the 49ers — Nik Bonitto, Jonah Elliss and Que Robinson — and none of them managed to get to Brock Purdy, who still hasn't been sacked this season. Denver's OLBs were also underwhelming setting the edge as the Niners rushed for 140 yards. The Broncos need more from their pass rushers.
4. Marvin Mims’ fumble was costly: Maybe it was a fumble. Maybe it wasn't. In the third quarter, Mims field a punt and was tackled. As he went to the ground, his forearm appeared to hit the grass as the ball popped out and San Francisco recovered. The play was reviewed and the fumble stood. CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore said on the broadcast that Mims' wrist is part of his hand, and a player's not down when his hand hits the ground. Nine plays later, the 49ers scored a touchdown to take the lead.
5. Bo Nix is still experiencing ankle swelling and stiffness: During the CBS broadcast, sideline reporter Melanie Collins said that while Nix told her his ankle is basically 100%, he still occasionally experiences swelling and stiffness after activity or flights. Nix also told Collins that he feels "as healthy as ever," and he hasn't appeared on the team's injury report this season. After the game, Nix was asked during his post-game press conference if the ankle has been "any issue at all" for him this season. "No," Nix said bluntly. If you take Nix's word for it, the ankle isn't a lingering issue, but Sunday marked the first time we heard about any swelling or stiffness, so it's a notable topic that's worth discussing.
Up next on the schedule, the Broncos are set to return to California next week to face the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium in Week 5. L.A. (0-4) is still seeking its first win of the season.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: 5 takeaways following Broncos' loss to 49ers in Week 4
