HALFTIME, and the Jaguars have carved out the kind of early edge they needed against Denver, taking a 10-3 lead into the break. It hasn’t been clean across the board, but Jacksonville has done enough on both sides to control the first half.
The Broncos made life miserable for Trevor Lawrence early. Jacksonville’s first two drives were repeatedly knocked off track by Denver’s pass rush, starting with a third-down hit that ended the opening possession.
Lawrence also came dangerously close to a strip-sack on the first drive before an illegal contact flag on Riley Moss erased the play. The next series got ugly too, with a second-down sack by Que Robinson and Zach Allen after Anton Harrison was tripped by the running back, then another pressure on third down when Cole Van Lanen allowed one and nearly gave up a sack-fumble.
That kind of pressure was part of the story the last time these teams met, when the Jaguars opened Week 16 with two three-and-outs and just five combined net yards. This time, the start was better - 12 plays, 26 net yards, and two punts - but the Broncos still had Jacksonville leaning on its protection early. That showed up again on the fourth drive, when Denver got another sack on third down.
Still, the Jaguars’ defense gave the offense room to breathe. Anthony Campanile’s group kept Denver in check from the jump, forcing punts on the Broncos’ first three possessions and holding them to 49 yards on 12 plays. Bo Nix was 5-of-8 for 24 yards in the opening quarter, and Denver didn’t convert a third down until its fourth drive.
That same fourth drive brought the Broncos’ first real shot play, a 49-yard catch by Jaylen Waddle to get Denver to the one. But the Jaguars stood firm there too, stuffing three straight runs from the one to force a 20-yard surrender field goal. Jacksonville had made its point.
The Broncos eventually found some explosive plays on the next possession - a 20-yard pass to Jaylen Waddle, a 27-yard catch by Tyler Badie, and a 27-yard completion to Troy Franklin - but Jourdan Lewis shut the door with a huge end-zone interception of Bo Nix over Courtland Sutton to preserve the 7-3 lead.
And just like in Week 16, the Jaguars’ offense settled in after the opening stretch. Denver had already piled up four quarterback hits on the first two drives, but Jacksonville answered on its third possession. That’s when Lawrence took over the series, delivering three big throws under pressure: a 14-yard completion to Brenton Strange, a 22-yard strike to Brian Thomas Jr., and a 32-yard pass to Parker Washington that set up Bhayshyul Tuten’s one-yard touchdown run.
Last year’s meeting turned after a slow start and a strong finish, and the first half Sunday followed the same shape.
In Other News...
Jaguars Let This One Slip As Trevor Lawrence Faces New Concern
The Jaguars had a chance to turn Week 2 into an early tone-setter, but instead watched Denver walk out with a 20-13 comeback victory that exposed some familiar frustrations. Jacksonville could not hold the lead, and the loss came with the kind of uneven offensive showing that can make even a promising start feel fragile, especially when the defense is asked to carry too much of the load.
Trevor Lawrence and the passing game now face a new layer of concern as the Jaguars move on from a game that slipped away in the second half. Denvers defense tightened up after a rough opener, closing off the run and getting enough pressure to make Jacksonville uncomfortable, while the Broncos found just enough from their own attack to overcome an early mistake and finish strong, even if the offense still left some points on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Film Revealed A Few Bright Spots And Some Real Concerns
The Jaguars Week 2 loss to the Broncos left plenty to sort through, and the film review brought a mixed bag for a team trying to settle in before New England comes to town in Week 3. There were a few encouraging signs tucked into the tape, most notably Bhayshul Tutens work at running back, Ventrell Millers steady play on defense and Dennis Gardecks impact rushing the passer.
Still, the same film also showed some areas that need cleaner answers quickly. Brian Thomas Jr. had his struggles, Arik Armstead was not as disruptive as Jacksonville needs him to be, and Montaric Brown had issues in coverage. With the Patriots next on the schedule, the Jaguars are getting a clearer picture of where the roster is holding up and where the pressure is already starting to build. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Loss Exposed A Defensive Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Bhayshul Tuten and Parker Washington gave the Jaguars some needed production in the 20-13 loss to Denver, but the bigger story was on the other side of the ball. Jacksonvilles run defense held up, and there were moments where the offense found enough rhythm to stay in the game, yet the Broncos consistently made life difficult up front and forced the Jaguars to work for everything they got.
Jacksonvilles pass rush and secondary never fully settled in, which left the defense vulnerable when the Broncos needed to create separation. The offensive line had its own problems dealing with Denvers front, and the combined effect was a game that kept exposing the same soft spots. For a team trying to build momentum, it was the kind of loss that leaves a clear warning about what still has to get fixed. [Read more 🡒]