The Denver Broncos came into Week 16 riding high-winners of 11 straight and looking every bit like the AFC’s top dog. Their matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars wasn’t just a late-season showdown; it had the feel of a playoff preview. But in front of their home crowd, the Broncos stumbled, falling 34-20 to a surging Jaguars team that made a statement of its own.
Let’s be clear: this loss doesn’t derail Denver’s Super Bowl hopes. It’s a bump, not a breakdown.
The Broncos still control their own destiny in the AFC playoff picture. They’re tied with the Patriots at 12-3, but thanks to the head-to-head tiebreaker, Denver holds onto the No. 1 seed.
Even after the loss, they remain a full game ahead of Jacksonville in the standings.
What happened Sunday was a rare off-day for one of the league’s most dominant defenses. This unit has been lights out all season, but against Jacksonville, missed tackles turned into big plays, and the Jaguars took full advantage.
Still, this defense isn’t suddenly broken. The pass rush is relentless, and the secondary remains elite.
Denver is just nine sacks away from breaking the single-season sack record-a testament to the havoc this front can create. Even in the loss, they got to Trevor Lawrence five times.
That’s no small feat, especially considering Lawrence came in hot off a career-best performance. Nik Bonitto continues to build a case as one of the most disruptive edge rushers in football, and if not for Myles Garrett chasing sack history, Bonitto would be in the thick of the Defensive Player of the Year conversation.
Add in Jonathan Cooper and Zach Allen, and this group is still a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks.
Patrick Surtain, the reigning DPOY, continues to anchor the secondary with the kind of consistency and confidence that makes quarterbacks think twice. One game with a few missed tackles doesn’t erase months of dominance. This defense is built to bounce back.
But if there’s a real question mark heading into the postseason, it’s the offense. The Broncos have had their moments-both good and bad.
There were games like the ones against the Jets and Raiders where the offense looked flat, yet Denver still found ways to win. That’s been a theme all year: this team knows how to close.
Bo Nix is growing into the role. He’s not just managing games-he’s making plays.
He’s avoiding sacks, showing poise under pressure, and delivering in crunch time. The rookie mistakes are becoming fewer, and the big throws are coming more often.
That’s exactly what you want to see in December.
The loss of J.K. Dobbins could’ve been a major setback, but RJ Harvey has stepped up in a big way.
The rookie’s burst and vision have added a new dimension to the ground game. Evan Engram, after a quiet start to the year, is starting to make his presence felt in the passing game as well.
This offense may not be elite, but it’s dangerous-and it’s improving.
Denver currently ranks 13th in scoring at 24.1 points per game. That’s not top-tier, but it’s solid-and when paired with a top-tier defense, it’s more than enough to win in January.
Just look at the way the offense clicked against Green Bay the week before. That game showed what this unit is capable of when it’s in rhythm.
And here’s the bigger picture: the AFC is wide open. The Chiefs and Bengals are already out of the playoff hunt.
The Ravens might not be far behind. That’s three perennial contenders-teams led by Mahomes, Burrow, and Jackson-on the outside looking in.
The Bills are still in the mix, but they’ve leaned heavily on Josh Allen to carry them, and their run defense has been suspect. The Patriots are talented but banged up, and the Texans have a stout defense but an offense that’s struggled to keep pace.
That leaves the Broncos, Jaguars, Bills, Patriots, and Texans as the likely contenders for AFC supremacy. And while Jacksonville earned the win on Sunday, a rematch would be far from a foregone conclusion. Denver has the tools to beat them-and anyone else in the conference.
So yes, the loss stings. But it’s not a sign of collapse.
It’s a reminder that even the best teams have off days. The Broncos are still in the driver’s seat, still one of the most complete teams in the league, and still very much in the hunt for a Super Bowl run.
This is a team built for January football. And they’re not done yet.