JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Back again so soon? The Jaguars are set to face off against the Denver Broncos in Week 2 in what will be an AFC showdown between two of the conference’s best. It hasn’t been long since these two played as Jacksonville traveled out there in Week 16 of 2025. It was the marquee victory of the Jaguars’ season.
The defining feature of the Broncos is their dominant defense and rightfully so. The unit ranked second in yards per game, third in points per game, and first in yards per play. That said, the offensive line maybe deserves just as much praise.
Denver’s blockade was the best in the NFL last season, allowing a pressure rate of just 27.6% (2nd) and a sack rate of just 3.6% (1st). Credit too to Bo Nix, who was the NFL’s best at avoiding sacks when pressured last season.
In last year’s matchup, the Jaguars managed just one sack, but did pressure Nix on 40% of his dropbacks per Pro Football Focus. Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker combined for 11 pressures.
The Broncos looked far more porous in Week 1 of the 2026 season, allowing four sacks and a 45.5% pressure rate. Conversely, the Jaguars’ pass-rush is coming off of a five-sack, 44.8%pressure performance themselves.
In 2025, Parker Washington nearly single-handedly beat the Broncos, tallying six receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown. Of those 145 yards, 140 came outside the numbers and 90 came after the catch. Getting Washington out into space will be one of the keys to victory.
Washington was on a hot streak going into Denver last time and remains on that same hot streak, posting five straight games of 80+ yards, including the Jags’ playoff game.
Keeping Lawrence clean and upright will be essential to the Jags’ chances to beat the Broncos again. Lawrence threw for 243 yards and three touchdowns from a clean pocket, despite being pressured on 48.8% of his dropbacks.
Both of these teams struggled with missed tackles in week 1, but the Broncos’ 29.8% missed tackle rate and 248 yards missed from tackles, the most yards since at least 2018 via NextGenStats.
That’s music to Bhayshul Tuten’s ears, who forced the third-most missed tackles in Week 1 with nine himself. He’s itching to break one as no rusher topped 15mph as often as Tuten in Week 1.
He’s got the speed to do damage. He just needs his opportunity.
This should be one of the better games in Week 2. The Broncos are looking to get right after an ugly Monday night game against the Chiefs, while the Jaguars shoot to continue their nine-game regular season winning streak.
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