3 Keys to a Broncos Victory Over Jaguars

The Denver Broncos face another playoff-caliber opponent this week in the red-hot Jacksonville Jaguars. How does Denver come out on top?

Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) hands the ball off to Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Last week, the Denver Broncos became the first NFL team to earn a playoff berth after beating the Green Bay Packers at home 34-26. 

The victory extended the Broncos' winning streak to 11 games and maintained their hold on the No. 1 playoff seed in the AFC after the 11-3 New England Patriots suffered their first loss since Week 3, which snapped their 10-game win streak. 

This week, the 12-2 Denver Broncos will host the 10-4 Jacksonville Jaguars in their second consecutive home game against a playoff-caliber opponent. Denver is the only team in the league with an undefeated home record (7-0), and this marks the second consecutive season with a playoff berth.

Although the Broncos have already clinched a postseason berth, they can tie up the AFC West and the No. 1 playoff seed this week by beating Jacksonville, with some help elsewhere. The 10-4 Los Angeles Chargers would also need to lose or tie in addition to a Patriots loss and a Buffalo Bills loss or tie.

The Jaguars will arrive in the Mile High City amid a five-game win streak with a one-game lead over the 9-5 Houston Texans in the AFC South. The Jaguars are coming off a 48-20 win over the 3-11 New York Jets and will be the Broncos' final AFC South opponent this season. Denver is 2-1 against that division. 

Sunday’s game has massive ramifications in the AFC postseason race for both teams, with the Broncos having an opportunity to win their division for the first time since 2015. Sean Payton also aims to earn the right to home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs, with the road to the Super Bowl going through Denver.

The Broncos can ill afford to overlook Jacksonville, so let’s review three keys to a 12th straight victory. 

Introduce Broncos' Defense to Jags Duo

Nov 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) and linebacker Jonathon Cooper (0) react during the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Last week in their blowout win against the Jets, Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Eitenne Jr. had career performances. 

Lawrence went 20-of-32 for 330 passing yards and five touchdowns, in addition to 51 rushing yards and one rushing score. Etienne, Lawrence's old college chum from Clemson and current teammate, caught three passes for 73 yards and scored three receiving touchdowns in a dominant home performance for Jacksonville. 

But this Sunday, the Jaguars' dynamic duo will quickly realize that this isn't the Jets, and this game won’t be played in Florida. 

The Broncos' defense, led by coordinator Vance Joseph, continues to maintain its top-five ranking in points allowed per game (18.6), total points allowed (261), and yards per game (287.7). Not to mention the fact that the Broncos have furthered their historic pace with 58 total sacks in 13 games played, with their eyes set on adding to that total.

Last week, Packers quarterback Jordan Love was harassed by Denver’s furious pass rush, resulting in 15 quarterback hits, three sacks, and two interceptions. Nik Bonitto leads the Broncos with 12.5 sacks, but the wealth of getting to the opposing quarterback has been shared by 16 total players on Denver’s roster with at least a 0.5 sack. 

Jacksonville’s offense ranks 16th in yards per game (335.7) but ranks eighth-best with 26.9 points per game. Lawrence is also used to getting banged up, having been sacked 32 times this season, although the Jags haven't surrendered a sack in the last two weeks. 

Etienne has only logged two games this season where he achieved 100-plus yards rushing, as the 5-foot-10, 215-pound running back is regularly utilized as a receiving threat and safety net for Lawrence, who’ll need him this Sunday.

If the Broncos' defense wants to win the division and the top conference seed, it’ll start with reminding the Jaguars offense that they don’t belong. 

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Running Back by Committee

Dec 14, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey (12) runs for a gain during the third quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Payton’s running back room may have dodged a serious bullet after RJ Harvey exited last Sunday’s game in the fourth quarter with a rib injury. 

The talented rookie took over the starting role after J.K. Dobbins suffered a season-ending Lisfranc injury in Week 10, recording 65 yards rushing and one touchdown in the Broncos' victory over the Packers last week. 

On Wednesday’s practice report, Harvey was a full participant (ribs), but there will likely be an all-hands-on-deck approach for the Broncos' running backs this Sunday. 

On Monday, Denver claimed former Jaguars running back Cody Schrader off waivers, signaling that its running back room could look different this Sunday. The second-year undrafted runner from Missouri has had brief stints with the Los Angeles Rams, Jaguars, and Texans, appearing in just two games with one rush, one reception, and nine total yards from scrimmage as a pro. 

Schrader will likely be at the bottom of Denver’s depth chart with Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie primed to tote the rock behind Harvey in Payton's offense.

Badie, who’s played in more games this season than McLaughlin, averages 4.2 yards per carry in his limited rush attempts, while Jaleel is the only other active running back besides Harvey to have scored at least one touchdown.  

It’s important to remember that Harvey is the Broncos' fourth leading receiver in a passing offense that continues to see Bo Nix distribute the wealth. 

For at least one-third of the season, the Broncos possessed a top-10 rushing attack, though it has since slid to 17th-best at 119.5 yards rushing per game. Conversely, the Jaguars' defense remains the best run defense in the NFL, allowing just 86.3 yards rushing per contest. 

Last week, Payton and Nix found a way to get receivers Michael Bandy and Lil’Jordan Humphrey into the end zone as unsuspecting offensive playmakers in a passing attack that’s finally hitting its stride. 

Perhaps Payton can conjure some more magic this Sunday to spell his rookie runner for the postseason and develop some more ball-carriers against the Jaguars. 

Wolfpack Mentality: Secondary Primed for Takeaways

Dec 14, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) catches a pass under pressure from Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (9) during the third quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Starting safety Brandon Jones suffered a torn pectoral muscle last Sunday and was placed on injured reserve on Monday, causing concern for Denver’s most dangerous unit. The sixth-year veteran will undergo additional testing with the hope of returning in the postseason.

Jones was replaced by P.J. Locke against the Packers, who logged one tackle and one pass deflection in 32 defensive snaps. Locke, who is a sixth-year veteran, was a starter in 2024 and battled multiple injuries, including a back surgery last January, and has since been a special teams standout this season, appearing in 13 games with six tackles and two passes defended. 

Locke will join a Broncos secondary that logged two interceptions last week from cornerbacks Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss. The pair of picks brought the Broncos' takeaway total to 12 this season, which ranks sixth-lowest in the league. Denver’s dynamic defense has had trouble getting its hands on the football.

Locke will also be playing next to defensive captain and the team's second-leading tackler, Talanoa Hufunga, whose presence is felt both in the air and on the ground. 

Although Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence hasn’t thrown an interception or had a fumble in three games, the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft is extremely turnover-prone, with 11 interceptions and five fumbles to his name this season.

If the Broncos' secondary can hang in there without Jones, in the same way they did when Surtain was lost to injury for a few games earlier this season, there will be takeaway opportunities against this suspect Jacksonville offense.

Denver’s defense has had a wolfpack mentality, attacking the opponent and protecting itself when vulnerable. Expect to see at least two takeaways from this elite Broncos defense that refuses to succumb to injury or to opponents.