Broncos Blown Out at Home in Week 16, Ending 11-Game Streak: “You Can’t Spit It Out, You Have to Swallow It”
The Denver Broncos came into Week 16 riding high on an 11-game win streak, but they walked off their home field with a gut-check of a loss-one that didn’t just snap the streak, it slammed the brakes on it. This wasn’t a close call or a game that slipped away in the final minutes. It was a double-digit blowout, and the Jaguars didn’t just win-they controlled the game from start to finish.
From the opening quarter, it was clear Jacksonville came in with a plan-and more importantly, the execution to match it. On both sides of the ball, they looked prepared, aggressive, and confident.
For Denver, it was the opposite. The defense, which had been a cornerstone of the team’s resurgence this season, looked out of sync and reactive.
The Jaguars consistently found ways to move the ball, often catching the Broncos off guard with well-timed play calls and sharp execution.
The numbers tell the story. Denver’s defense has now given up 30 points per game at home over the last two contests.
That’s a troubling trend, especially for a unit that had been playing with swagger during the win streak. At this point in the season, giving up that kind of production in your own building is more than just a bad day-it’s a red flag.
After the game, head coach Sean Payton didn’t sugarcoat it. He faced the media with the same blunt honesty that’s become part of his coaching identity.
“You can’t spit it out, you have to swallow it,” Payton said.
And he’s right. As painful as this loss was-and make no mistake, it stung-there’s no shortcut around it.
This is the kind of defeat that lingers, and maybe that’s exactly what this team needs. With a Christmas Day matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs looming, the Broncos have four days to sit with this one.
No fast-forward button. No quick fix.
That time could be valuable. Because while no one in that locker room wanted to feel what it’s like to get punched in the mouth at home, sometimes a humbling loss is what resets a team’s focus.
The Broncos had been rolling since September, stacking wins and building confidence. But winning can sometimes cover up cracks.
A loss like this? It exposes everything.
And in the right hands, that’s fuel.
The film sessions this week won’t be easy. They’re going to be uncomfortable.
But they’ll also be revealing. Missed assignments, blown coverages, lack of communication-whatever it was that led to this defensive breakdown, it’ll be right there on tape.
And that’s where the corrections start.
Looking ahead, Denver does catch a bit of a break. The Chiefs are dealing with major issues at quarterback and are currently down to their third-stringer.
That’s not the kind of scenario anyone expected this late in the season, but it’s the reality. And while no NFL game is ever a gimme-especially not against a team like Kansas City-this could be a timely opportunity for the Broncos to bounce back.
There’s no guarantee that a loss like this becomes a turning point. But the potential is there.
The Broncos have been one of the league’s hottest teams for months, and one bad game doesn’t erase that. What matters now is how they respond.
Do they let this loss linger in the wrong way? Or do they use it as a wake-up call?
Either way, the message from Payton is clear: don’t run from it. Don’t try to ignore it.
Swallow it. Let it burn.
Because if this team wants to make a real push in the final stretch of the season, they’re going to need to remember how this one felt-and make sure it doesn’t happen again.