The Jaguars’ Week 2 trip into Denver brings a handful of familiar pressure points, and the spotlight isn’t limited to Trevor Lawrence or Josh Hines-Allen.
Jacksonville will need more than its headline names to handle the Broncos, and three players in particular could swing the afternoon. One of them is rookie guard Emmanuel Pregnon, who held up well in his NFL debut last week but now draws a much tougher test in Denver’s Zach Allen. Allen was the league’s most disruptive defensive tackle by one measure last season, finishing with 73 quarterback pressures, and the Broncos could hunt for ways to put that veteran pass rusher directly in Pregnon’s path.
On the outside, Travis Hunter and Montaric Brown may find themselves dealing with a receiver who can change the shape of a game in a hurry. Jaylen Waddle, who spent his career with Miami, has been a frequent focal point there and topped 1,000 receiving yards in three of his five seasons with the Dolphins. Waddle was quiet last week, but the Broncos figure to keep searching for ways to get him involved.
Then there’s Bhayshul Tuten, whose role on the ground could do real work for Jacksonville’s offense. Denver was sturdy against the run last season, but it was also gashed for yards by the Chiefs in Week 1. If Tuten can help Jacksonville stay ahead of the sticks, it keeps the offense out of predictable passing downs and opens things up for Liam Coen and Trevor Lawrence.
When the run game and pass game are both humming, the Jaguars become a much tougher problem to solve.
In Other News...
Jaguars Loss Just Sparked A Travis Hunter Debate Fans Feared
The Jaguars Week 2 loss to Denver did more than drop Jacksonville to 0-2, it reignited the conversation around Travis Hunters role and how the team is using its most talked-about newcomer. Hunter spent most of the afternoon on defense at cornerback, saw only limited work on offense, and still found himself in the middle of a pivotal moment when a pass interference flag went against him in a game the Jaguars could not afford to let slip away.
Liam Coen moved quickly to defend Hunter after the penalty, while also taking issue with the unsportsmanlike conduct call that followed. For a team still trying to settle its identity early in the season, the debate now is not just about one play, but about how Jacksonville balances Hunters two-way value with the need for cleaner execution in tight games. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Suddenly Have A Defensive Problem They Cant Ignore
The Jaguars got a reminder in Denver that a pass rush can look dangerous one week and vanish the next. After opening the season with five sacks and plenty of pressure in a win over the Browns, Jacksonville couldnt get home against the Broncos, and the difference showed in a game that forced defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile to keep tweaking his approach as it went along.
Campanile started with a four-man rush but had to send extra help later as the Broncos held up better than Jacksonville did up front. Josh Hines-Allen said he needs to raise his own level after being kept out of the sack column, and that kind of self-assessment matters for a defense that now has to prove its first game was the baseline, not the outlier. [Read more 🡒]
Travis Hunter Conversation Just Got More Personal For Jaguars Fans
Leanna Hunter made her way to the Jaguars game against the Broncos and showed up in a Jaguars-themed outfit, adding a little extra buzz to a day that already had plenty of eyes on Travis Hunter. She also took to Instagram to mark her husbands second season with the team, keeping her support for the rookie cornerback visible both in the stands and online.
The personal side of Hunters Jaguars journey has become part of the conversation around how he is being used, especially after Leanna Hunter voiced criticism of Liam Coens handling of Travis during the game. For Jacksonville fans, it adds another layer to a storyline that is no longer just about development and play selection, but also about how closely this new chapter is being watched beyond the sideline. [Read more 🡒]