When Broncos run: J.K. Dobbins just keeps on chugging. He’s had one bad game out of eight this season, and just posted his single-season high with a 15-carry, 111-yard effort against Dallas. Ideally, the Broncos start to get rookie RJ Harvey more involved after a two-touchdown performance in just seven carries last week. This might be a Dobbins game, though, as the Texans’ run defense has surrendered the lowest yards per game on outside-tackle runs in the NFL. Edge: Even

When Broncos pass: Bo Nix got rolling last week, just in time for … one of the best secondaries in the NFL. This group is stingy. Cornerback Jalen Pitre has three interceptions. Second-year safety Calen Bullock has allowed just seven catches on 18 targets in coverage. Even linebacker Henry To’oTo’o has a 63.4 quarterback rating against. The Texans have allowed the fewest passing touchdowns in the NFL. The way to beat Houston is to try and hit the intermediate part of the field, where they’re 25th in average yards per game. Edge: Texans

When Texans run: There’s a kinda similar dynamic here in Houston and Denver’s backfields: a go-to-guy with an injury history (Nick Chubb) and a rookie change-of-pace back (Woody Marks). Chubb has had an up-and-down season, though, averaging 4.0 yards a carry. His longest gain of the year is 27 yards. Marks is starting to assert himself, running for 62 yards on just 11 carries in last week’s win over San Francisco. All in all, it’s a decent but not-imposing rushing attack, especially against a Broncos defense that’s surrendering the fifth-lowest average yards per carry in the league. Edge: Broncos

When Texans pass: For all the talk about C.J. Stroud’s fall-off since his offensive rookie of the year campaign in 2023, he’s putting up the highest completion percentage (67%) of his career, and he just went 30 of 38 for 316 yards against the 49ers. The Texans’ issue is a lack of explosiveness, and Stroud has been iffy in the intermediate part of the field. Nico Collins’ health is the key here, as he’s been in concussion protocol and will likely match up with Denver’s Riley Moss with Pat Surtain II hurt. Edge: Even

Special teams: Texans rookie Jaylin Noel brings juice in the return game, with similar average yards-per-punt and yards-per-kick returns to the Broncos’ All-Pro Marvin Mims Jr. Broncos punter Jeremy Crawshaw far outranks the Texans’ Tommy Townsend in average punts downed inside the 20-yard-line, though. Denver also has a special-teams ace in safety Devon Key, who is second in the league in special-teams tackles, according to TeamRankings.com. Edge: Broncos

Coaching: The Texans have built one of the NFL’s stingiest units under defensive-minded head coach DeMeco Ryans and coordinator Matt Burke. Their offense, though, has consistently underperformed in a 3-4 start. Broncos head coach Sean Payton just authored his best end-to-end play-calling performance of the year, and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph showed he could survive without Surtain against one of the NFL’s best offenses in Dallas last week. Slight edge: Broncos