The Jacksonville Jaguars have their work cut out for them as they look to build on the momentum from their demolition of the Cleveland Browns. Now, they head to Mile High Stadium to face the Denver Broncos in a potential early-season playoff preview. The Broncos are looking to bounce back after a woeful opening performance against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football. With a short week for Denver, Jacksonville has an extra day to game plan for this talented Broncos roster. It’s revving up to be a great game, but here are three bold predictions for this highly anticipated Jaguars-Broncos matchup.
Jacksonville’s Run Game Will Have Its Best Game Under Liam Coen
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten (33) Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The record for EPA/run underneath the Coen era was 0.27 EPA/rush against the Las Vegas Raiders, where the Jaguars ran for 151 yards on 42 carries, including 84 yards on 22 carries for now-New Orleans Saints running back Travis Etienne Jr.
Denver allowed 0.33 EPA/rush against the Kansas City Chiefs last week, along with Patrick Mahomes’ struggles passing the ball in the first half (Mahomes ranked 20th out of 34 starting quarterbacks in Adjusted EPA/play in the first half last week). Trevor Lawrence and Parker Washington torched the Denver secondary with 145 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown, and 279 yards and four total touchdowns, respectively. That started with Washington’s 33 receiving yards and a touchdown in the first quarter. Expect Lawrence to Washington to get started early in this game as well, and for that to affect the running game early and throughout the game. Especially if Denver struggles to bring the ball carrier down, as they did against Kenneth Walker last week. Denver’s 24 missed tackles is a wider margin between them and the Cleveland Browns in 2nd (15) than the Browns and the New York Giants at 14th (7).
Jacksonville Will Force at Least Two Bo Nix Turnovers
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix drops back to pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first half last week at Empower Field at Mile High. Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The Jaguars forced an interception by linebacker Foye Oluokun and a fumble forced by Josh Hines-Allen, which Deshaun Watson recovered. Bo Nix and the Broncos offense come into this week as the second-worst passing offense in efficiency, only bested by the Cooper Rush-led Atlanta Falcons. Nix was pressured on 45.5% of his dropbacks, according to NextGenStats, and I don’t see that number letting up with the Jaguars coming into town. Jacksonville pressured Watson on 44.8% of his dropbacks, and has the secondary in Travis Hunter, Montaric Brown, and Jourdan Lewis to force Nix to hold onto the football longer than he may want to.
The Dialogue About the Jaguars Will Shift to Super Bowl Contention After This Game
The Jaguars have always been the lovable losers in the small market, as Broncos head coach Sean Payton liked to call it. However, in year two under Liam Coen, Jacksonville is no longer a team to be overlooked. They are currently on a nine-game win streak, the longest active win streak in the league, and a win against Denver would be the first double-digit win streak since Jacksonville ended the Broncos’ 11-game win streak in December last season.
The Jaguars have every piece necessary to hold the Lombardi at the end: A top-tier offensive play-caller, a scary, talented defense, real offensive weapons, and a very talented quarterback playing at the top of his game.
Things are looking very scary in Jacksonville, and this game against the Broncos could be the coming-out party that ignites the talks even further.