I think there’d have been more running if the passing game had been more successful. Some big passes and catches were flubbed or blocked. If the D line has confidence in the backfield they can play runs very tight.
So: there were a lot of pass plays- because they were unsuccessful.
Again, Carolina was one of the lousiest passing teams in the NFL this year but the 2nd best running team.
How did Carolina beat the #1 Defense against scoring in the NFL - Seattle? They ran 65% of the time and they executed a game plan that ran FIRST and then sprinkled in passes. That was the right game plan and should have been used against Denver but inexplicably was not.