Broncos Storm Back to Beat Jaguars: 10 Bite-Sized Takeaways

Panic began to bubble under the surface after the Denver Broncos lost so badly in the season opener.

Entering Week 2, the Broncos had much to work on and a short week to do it before hosting a Jacksonville Jaguars team that was on a nine-game regular-season winning streak. The Broncos started slowly, as usual, but they got the job done to get to 1-1 in the standings.

As we we continue sifting through the aftermath of the Broncos' 20-13 win over the Jaguars, what did we really learn about this team in Week 2? Here are 10 bite-sized takeaways.

New Additions Paying Dividends

In his first game in front of the Mile High Faithful, Jaylen Waddle had a coming-out party, while rookie running back Jonah Coleman stepped up with some big late runs to help secure the win. Coleman got his opportunity as RJ Harvey didn't play and J.K. Dobbins exited early with a hamstring injury.

When it comes to Waddle, Broncos offensive coordinator Davis Webb dialed up great calls to get his new receiver into big play opportunities, and Bo Nix executed with on-target passes.

Broncos Are Missing Mass On the D-Line

D.J. Jones is a good player, but his lack of mass and length consistently show up against offensive lines that want to play bully ball. The Broncos' biggest and longest defensive lineman is Eyioma Uwazurike, but he has struggled to start this season.

Vance Joseph follows the Wade Phillips style of smaller, quicker defensive linemen. However, the Broncos' best season under Phillips featured a behemoth on the defensive line, and Denver needs to find one.

Limit the Screen Passes Even More

Calling a screen on 3rd -and-11 is cowardly, as we saw from Webb on Sunday. While screens can work, they're too often a waste of a down.

They're used as an extension of the run game, especially in the Broncos' offense, and they have their place. However, Webb and Sean Payton need to take a step back and be far more selective about when they call a screen pass.

Alex Singleton Must Be Replaced After 2026

A lot of excuses are made for Singleton, but his time as a starter should be over after this season. People point to his leadership as a team captain, but his play is a liability.

Singleton has always been a liability in coverage, but he's become an even bigger one in the run game, which is saying something. Not only is he slow and unathletic, but he also consistently makes the wrong reads and gets himself out of position against both the run and the pass.

Unfortunately, Singleton's contract will keep him in Denver this season as long as he is healthy, but it's past time to move on.

Offense Improved but Not 'Til the Second Half

Davis Webb prior to Sunday's game against the Jaguars. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In the first half, the Broncos' offense had a major execution issue, though Webb's play calls were great for the most part. There were some bad moments, and the execution was the biggest issue.

However, in the second half, the Broncos' offensive execution began to improve. The offense remains a perennially slow-starting unit, as it has been consistently since Nix became the starting quarterback, regardless of who's calling the plays.

Broncos Need Better Discipline on Defense

The lack of discipline showed up consistently throughout the game, and it wasn't just in Denver's play. The Broncos lacked lane and coverage discipline, but the bigger issue was the penalties.

Riley Moss was flagged for a terrible illegal contact penalty because he couldn't let go of his assignment, while Talanoa Hufanga was dinged for a bad delay-of-game penalty.

Both players had discipline meltdowns, and Moss’s penalty was costly because it erased a Nik Bonitto strip-sack that Denver recovered. The Broncos were more disciplined in the second half, but a few lapses still led to big plays for the Jaguars and too many penalties.

Nix Needs Help Reading Zone Coverages

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) drops back to pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Jaguars are one of the NFL's best zone coverage teams, and they run it at a high rate. Nix struggled against Jacksonville's zone coverage, just as he has throughout his career.

Since entering the NFL, Nix ranks in the bottom 10 in almost every metric and analytic against zone coverage, which is prominent in this league. Payton and Webb need to figure out the disconnect and fix it.

In Year 3, it's long past time to correct Nix's lackluster play against zone. Even in the second half, it was no coincidence that Nix's play improved as the Jaguars began calling more man coverage than zone.

This being said, Nix still made some big plays against zone, kindling hope that he can improve here.

Where Has the 'Best O-Line in the NFL' Gone?

Over the last two seasons, the Broncos had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, if not the best. Well, it's only been two games, but that hasn't been the case this season.

Right tackle Mike McGlinchey looks like he's regressed, as has center Luke Wattenberg, whom Denver extended last year on a four-year deal. Denver has to figure out how to get that unit to bounce back, because it's integral to the offense's success.

As with everything else, the Broncos' O-line showed improvement in the second half, but the blocking really struggled for long stretches of this game.

Broncos' Pass Rush is Dangerous, Especially When Layered

Nik Bonitto strip-sacks Trevor Lawrence. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Broncos have a plethora of pass rushers, which lets them do what most other teams can’t: layer their pressure, so it isn’t always the first guy making the sack, but the second or third.

The pass rushers come in waves, making life even harder for quarterbacks as they try to reset their feet after the first guy gets there. This was on full display against Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars.

Patience Still Required

There was a lot of panic over the Broncos' first game, largely because of how they lost, but Payton has won only one season opener since becoming the head coach in Denver. Sunday's victory over Jacksonville was just his second win in the first two weeks since arriving in 2023.

It was an ugly first half, but Denver turned it around against the Jaguars to get to 1-1. NFL teams that start the season 1-1 have a 42% chance of making the NFL playoffs.

It's good to see the Broncos notch their first win of the season, but patience is still required. The Broncos are still in the throes of some growing pains, and as Payton is fond of telling his team at the start of each season, it's a race to improve at the starting gun in the NFL.

The Broncos were far from perfect in Week 2, but they showed a lot of improvement. This is a talented and well-coached team, so if the Broncos can continue to improve each week, even amid the growing pains of Nix maturing in Year 3, marrying the new talent into the scheme, and breaking in a first-time play-caller on offense, this team can still win games while it's at it.

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