Broncos Can Beat the Jaguars if They're Better in 4 Areas

With the Denver Broncos' home opener approaching on Sunday, fans will be asking whether they can bounce back after a poor performance in Kansas City last Monday.

While many of Denver's mistakes stemmed from the physical aspects of the game, many of them were mental. From losing focus to costly penalties, the mental mistakes piled up and cost the Broncos the game against the Chiefs.

The Jacksonville Jaguars may have beaten the lowly Cleveland Browns, but that doesn't mean the Broncos' Week 2 task will be any easier — especially if they aren't mentally prepared. If the Broncos aren't staying focused on the task at hand, they're likely to find themselves with an 0-2 start to the season.

Let's look at the four specific areas the Broncos must improve — whether the players or the coaches — to give themselves a chance at a better showing in the home opener against the Jaguars.

1. Call More Run Plays In the First Half

J.K. Dobbins runs against the Chiefs. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One of the biggest issues in the opener was that the Broncos didn't run the ball enough in the first half. This happened even though the Broncos only trailed by seven early, then tied the game until late in the second quarter.

Starting off the game strong on offense is a good thing, but it doesn't have to happen through the passing game. The Broncos showed they could run the ball effectively in the opener, but they need to call them more often, especially early in the game.

It's possible that offensive coordinator Davis Webb thought too much about the Chiefs having a weak secondary, but he should focus more on the strengths of the Broncos' offense. That's been the run game, so the Broncos need to utilize it as much as possible in the first half.

2. Be More Disciplined in Tackling

Kenneth Walker III breaks tackles on the way to picking up yardage. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Everyone knows how poor the Broncos' tackling was against the Chiefs, especially in the run game. It wasn't just an issue of not wrapping up, but also of taking poor angles against runners and receivers.

While the Jaguars don't have a dominant running back, they did a good job rushing against the Browns. So, the Broncos have to take better angles when approaching runners and receivers and not just go for the big hit.

Being more disciplined should help not only with taking a better approach, but with a better finish when defenders make contact with the offensive playmakers.

3. Do a Better Job of Picking Up & Handling the Blitz

The Broncos' pass protection wasn't great against the Chiefs, and Bo Nix wasn't good at avoiding sacks, but the biggest issue in the opener was their failure to pick up blitzes and pass protect against them.

Running back RJ Harvey was solid as a rookie but hasn't taken a step forward in pass protection. J.K. Dobbins struggled there, which was uncharacteristic of him. And there were instances of linemen and tight ends not identifying a blitzer.

If the Broncos can do a better job of handling the blitz, that alone will help Nix to settle down or escape the pocket and improve pass protection overall.

4. Don't Panic

Patrick Mahomes. — Patrick Mahomes calls out his pre-snap protection. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This refers less to fan reaction and more to player reaction during the game. At times in the opener, it appeared as though the Broncos were trying too hard to come up with a play, meaning they were pressing and unfocused, so their execution was poor.

Against the Jaguars, the Broncos can't afford to lose focus and poise. The Jaguars might not be a Super Bowl contender, and they faced a weak Browns team to open the season, but they're a talented team and will capitalize on mistakes.

The Broncos have to keep their heads clear and not think too much. Keeping focus gives the Broncos a better chance to execute. The big plays or big stops will come with time.

The Takeaway

Mental mistakes had as much to do with the loss to the Chiefs as physical mistakes did — if not more. Mental mistakes aren't a stat in and of themselves, but they are reflected in the box score.

Some of this goes on the players and some of this goes on coaching. It's up to the coaches to make sure the players are mentally prepared and for the players to carry that out.

If the Broncos are mentally prepared, their chances of getting their first win of the season on Sunday will increase dramatically.

Sign up for our free Denver Broncos On SI newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Add us as a preferred source on Google