The Denver Broncos improved to 5-2 with their win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 7 this past Sunday, but it wasn't just their record that improved.
The Broncos looked much better offensively than in their last game, which was still a victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Sunday's performance might have come against the lowly Cardinals, but it can still help build momentum as the season progresses. It also helped the Broncos improve to 3-1 against the NFC West, one of the toughest divisions in the league, this season.
The Broncos will next set their sights on a rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs, but first, let's take a look at the Broncos' snap counts from this game and what we can take from them.
Broncos' Week 7 snap count takeaways
1. Riley Moss has returned to full strength
The Broncos are still missing half of their starting
secondary, with Pat Surtain II and Talanoa Hufanga each missing this game, but it's nice to see that Riley Moss has bounced back from a rib injury earlier in the season and was one of just three Broncos to play every defensive snap in this game, with Alex Singleton and Brandon Jones being the other two.
Despite getting called for one of the most ridiculous pass interference penalties you'll ever see, Moss played well in this game. He finished with four tackles and one pass breakup and did well in coverage. The Broncos have capable players behind him, such as Kris Abrams-Draine, but Moss is a big piece of this defense.
2. Jonah Coleman is clearly the No. 1 running back
The Broncos have struggled to run the ball effectively this season, but their best chance to change that is with rookie running back Jonah Coleman. Coleman returned from injured reserve this week to receive 30 offensive snaps, compared to 16 for RJ Harvey and only 14 for J.K. Dobbins.
Coleman made the most of the team showing trust in him by gaining 54 yards on nine carries.
3. Jonathon Cooper steps into old role
The Broncos were without Jonah Elliss in this game after placing him on injured reserve with an ankle injury. Fortunately, Jonathon Cooper was able to return and play in his first game all season.
Cooper slid right into his starting role opposite Nik Bonitto as the team's top two edge rushers and saw 45 snaps on defense. Also of note was that Que Robinson, a player growing within the system, saw 41 defensive snaps in this game.
“We've all seen the type of player ‘Coop’ is these past three years," said Zach Allen following the game. "The fact that he came out and it seemed like he didn't miss a beat. We’re really proud of him and happy for him. Hopefully this is something we can build on.”
4. Taylor Rapp starting to earn a prime spot on defense
With Hufanga still nursing an ankle injury, the Broncos are beginning to increase the play of veteran safety Taylor Rapp, who saw the most snaps at safety behind Jones with 50. That was way up from Devon Key, who saw just 31 snaps on defense.
Rapp had two tackles in the game, but it's just another example of coach Sean Payton preferring players who have done it before. Rapp has made a quick adjustment since joining the team and could continue to serve as a key rotational player as the season goes forward.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: 4 takeaways from Broncos' snap counts in Week 7
