Broncos Get a Reality Check in Loss to Jaguars - But the Road Ahead Still Runs Through Denver
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DENVER - For weeks, the Broncos had been living on the edge - and loving every second of it. From gritty comebacks to late-game heroics, they’d carved out an identity as a team that thrived in chaos.
But on Sunday, the magic ran out. The Jacksonville Jaguars came into Denver and handed the Broncos a 34-20 loss that felt less like a stumble and more like a necessary reset.
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t the kind of defeat that derails a season. It was the kind that recalibrates expectations - a reminder that even the hottest teams can get burned when they start thinking the fire won’t touch them.
And yet, despite the loss, the Broncos still control their path in the AFC West. That’s the benefit of stacking wins the way they have - their longest streak in nearly 13 years gave them a cushion. But that cushion got thinner on Sunday, and the margin for error just got a whole lot smaller.
Jaguars Expose the Cracks
Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars came in with something to prove, and they played like it. Lawrence continued his late-season surge, making throws that only a handful of quarterbacks in the league can make.
And Jacksonville’s defense? They’ve been on a heater for the better part of two months, and they didn’t cool off in Denver.
The Broncos had been pulling off second-half magic tricks against teams like the Eagles, Giants, Texans (minus C.J. Stroud), and Packers.
But the Jaguars weren’t buying into the illusion. They ripped through Denver’s defense with precision and physicality, and by the time wide receiver Parker Washington left three Broncos defenders in the dust on a 63-yard catch-and-run late in the third quarter, it was clear: this wasn’t going to be another escape act.
That play - a highlight-reel sprint that left Riley Moss, Talanoa Hufanga, and P.J. Locke chasing shadows - was the moment the Broncos’ luck officially ran out.
A Humbling Moment
Denver had one last shot in the fourth quarter, down two scores and with the ball in Bo Nix’s hands. But the rookie’s interception sealed it, ending any hope of another late rally.
Tight end Adam Trautman summed it up best: “I remember thinking, ‘Oh yeah, this is what we do. We’re good.’ And then it just didn’t come together the way it has.”
That kind of honesty is telling. The Broncos had started to believe in their own invincibility - and who could blame them?
But this loss served as a reminder that belief isn’t enough. Execution still matters.
And against a team like Jacksonville, you need both.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a wake-up call,” Trautman added, “but it kind of wakes you up, like, ‘Oh yeah, we aren’t invincible.’”
The Road Ahead: A Short Week and a Familiar Foe
The Broncos don’t have much time to dwell on the loss. They’re heading into a short week with a trip to Kansas City looming - and while the Chiefs are banged up and reeling, Arrowhead Stadium has been a house of horrors for Denver in December.
Let’s put it in perspective: the Broncos are 3-20 in Kansas City during the month of December, including a brutal 1-14 mark in games played there in Week 14 or later. Their last win in that spot?
- That’s not a trend - that’s a curse.
But this time might be different. With both Patrick Mahomes and Gardner Minshew sidelined by ACL injuries, the Chiefs are expected to start Chris Oladokun - a young quarterback stepping into the fire for his first NFL start. It’s a rare opportunity for Denver to flip the script in a place that’s haunted them for decades.
If the Broncos can clean up the mistakes from Sunday and take care of business in Kansas City, they’ll be right back on track. But the real test comes after that - a Week 17 showdown with a Jim Harbaugh-led Chargers team that has quietly become one of the most resilient squads in the league.
Los Angeles has battled through injuries to key players, including elite tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, and still managed to stay in the thick of the AFC West race. They haven’t lost to Denver since Harbaugh took over in 2024, and they play with the same kind of grit and adaptability that Sean Payton has instilled in his own team.
A Team Built to Respond
Inside the Broncos’ locker room, there was no panic - just resolve. Right tackle Mike McGlinchey pointed to the team’s character and leadership as reasons to believe they’ll bounce back.
“We have a high football-character team,” McGlinchey said. “A lot of really great people, a lot of really great leaders - coaching staff included. The only thing to do after losing like this is to work harder and find ways to improve.”
That’s been a theme all season. The Broncos didn’t just win games - they got better while doing it. And that’s why players like Trautman are confident they’ll respond the right way.
“We cover it and we talk about it,” he said. “That’s why we were able to sustain winning for so long.”
And now, after a loss? Same process. Same mindset.
“We need to flush it because it is a short week,” Trautman added. “But I think we’re going to learn a lot from this game because that is probably one of the AFC elites now as well. The [Jaguars] are a good team, and we might see them again in the playoffs.”
Defensive end John Franklin-Myers echoed that sentiment: “We’re going to fix these mistakes and flush them down the toilet. And honestly, it’s a short week. So, [expletive], it’s time to go.”
Bottom Line
The Broncos got a much-needed dose of reality on Sunday - and they’re better for it. The loss to Jacksonville doesn’t knock them off course, but it does force them to tighten up. With the Chiefs limping into Week 16 and the Chargers looming, Denver’s response will tell us everything we need to know about their playoff readiness.
They’ve been the comeback kids. Now it’s time to see if they can be the closers.