Jaguars vs Broncos Review
The Jaguars defeated the Broncos 34-20 in a statement game. Trevor Lawrence played at an MVP level once again, and the Jaguars have now reached 11 wins for the first time in 18 seasons.
The Jaguars would get the ball first and would get off to a shaky start, going three-and-out on their first two possessions. Luckily, a three-and-out on defense, paired with a missed field goal, kept the score 0-0. On the Jaguars third drive, they would get settled in, going 66 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown. Denver would quickly respond with a touchdown drive of their own, going 65 yards in just 2:21 to tie the game at 7 early in the second quarter.
After putting together an excellent touchdown drive, the Jaguars would follow it up with their worst drive of the game, going three-and-out and losing 16 yards. Denver would respond with a quick field goal drive, taking a 10-7 lead. The Jaguars would put together arguably their best drive of the game, going 59 yards in 8 plays to take a 14-10 lead. After forcing a quick punt, they picked up 58 yards in just under two minutes to kick a field goal as the first half expired, taking a 17-10 lead.
The Broncos offense would come out swinging in the third quarter, going 73 yards in just 4 plays, capped off by a 38-yard touchdown run from running back RJ Harvey, tying the game at 17. With the momentum back in the Broncos favor, a big answer was needed, and they delivered, going 75 yards in 9 plays to retake the lead at 24-17. A three-and-out from the defense would get the ball right back, and they took full advantage, going 80 yards in 4 plays thanks to a 63-yard run from Parker Washington, setting up a touchdown pass to Travis Etienne on the following play.
Shortly after, Bo Nix would fumble the snap, giving the Jaguars the ball at Denver's 34-yard line. Unable to take advantage, they would settle for a field goal, taking a commanding 34-17 lead at the start of the fourth quarter. In just four plays, the Broncos would get all the way to the Jaguars 3-yard line, looking like they were going to make a 4th-quarter run yet again, but the Jaguars defense did not break, forcing a 21-yard field goal to make it 34-20.
After a three-and-out from the Jaguars offense, the Broncos had another chance to cut into the lead but ended up giving the ball right back, throwing an interception on fourth down, keeping the score at 34-20 with 8:08 remaining. The Jaguars went three-and-out once again, giving the Broncos one final chance. The Broncos would fail to convert on fourth down with just over two minutes left, and both teams would run out the clock, giving the Jaguars a 34-20 win in one of the biggest regular season games in franchise history.
The good
There has been a big discussion on Trevor Lawrence's play over the last three weeks and if he had truly turned the corner. Against arguably the best defense in football, he answered the call emphatically, throwing for 279 yards and 3 touchdowns, as well as rushing for a touchdown. His timing, accuracy, pocket presence, and pre-snap reads were the highest they've ever been. Liam Coen has turned Lawrence loose, and it is showing in his confidence.
Parker Washington played the best game of his career, catching 6 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown. Towards the end of the third quarter, Washington made arguably the biggest play of the game, taking a 4-yard out route 63 yards, setting up a touchdown pass on the following play. Washington was especially big on third downs, catching 4 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. With Brian Thomas Jr. and Jakobi Meyers having quiet days, the Jaguars needed another pass catcher to step up, and Washington did in a big way.
Penalties and third downs have been a problem for the Jaguars all season, but against the Broncos, they were at their best, committing just 2 penalties for 20 yards and going 8-15 on third down. Despite taking 5 sacks, the lack of penalties allowed the offense to not consistently fall behind the sticks, which allowed for shorter 3rd downs.
The defense was able to step up in key moments to keep the Broncos at bay. On 3rd and 4th down specifically, the defense was excellent, holding the Broncos to 5/14 on 3rd down and 1/3 on 4th down, consistently preventing the Broncos from being able to get back in the game.
The bad
Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars passing attack was excellent, but it was out of necessity due to the lack of a run game. Travis Etienne and LeQuint Allen combined for just 60 yards on 20 carries. The struggles in the run game forced Lawrence to drop back 41 times, which was less than ideal against such a stout pass rush.
On the defensive side, the run defense was suspect as well, allowing 87 yards on just 12 carries to the Broncos running backs. The biggest run of the day came on a 38-yard touchdown run from RJ Harvey, where the defense missed countless tackles attempting to bring him down.
Conclusion
This was one of the biggest regular season games in franchise history, and the Jaguars made a statement, winning by 14 on the road against arguably the best defense in the NFL. This was the big test for the Jaguars to truly capture the world's attention, and they did just that. At 11-4 and the AFC South division leader, the Jaguars are one of the hottest teams in football with a quarterback who appears to finally be playing at his full potential. They will travel to Indianapolis in week 17 against the division rival Colts, looking to continue their hot streak and keep the momentum rolling.