3 Key Areas Jaguars Have an Advantage Over Broncos: Trevor Lawrence vs. Bo Nix

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars will need to bring their A-game to Week 2 if they hope to knock off the Denver Broncos, but there is plenty of reason to believe it can happen.

The Jaguars have already followed the blueprint on how to take down the Broncos before, and there are other avenues the Jaguars can go down to ensure a win in Week 2. So, what are the key advantages the Jaguars have over Denver heading into Week 2?

The QB Position

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) throws a touchdown pass to wide receiver Parker Washington (11), not shown, during the first quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

There are actually some decent similarities between the style of play between Bo Nix and Trevor Lawrence at times. Both are gifted at creating shot plays out of structure, and it is better to describe each signal-caller as a mobile passer who runs to pass as opposed to the other way around. But after that, the comparison falls off quite a bit -- especially under pressure. Lawrence seems to thrive when the heat gets turned up on him, while Nix seems to do ... the exact opposite.

Nix currently ranked No. 30 out 32 quarterbacks in EPA/Dropback when pressured through one week, while Lawrence ranks No. 5. Lawrence was the driving force behind Jacksonville's offense in Week 1, regardless of pressure, while it is clear that Nix needs some solid protection to thrive. In a game with two talented defensive lines, it is tough to say Nix has any real advantage here.

The Run Game

While it remains to be seen if Broncos running back RJ Harvey will play on Sunday after he missed Wednesday's practice with a hamstring injury, even he would not move the needle all that much when it comes to the Jaguars' run defense against the Broncos' running game. The Broncos ran the ball well against the Chiefs, but they have already made it clear that they prefer to put the game in Bo Nix's hands. Against an elite Jaguars' run defense, a part-time running game just will not bring much value.

Then there is the Jaguars' running game against the Broncos' run defense. The Broncos allowed 220 rushing yards and had over two dozen missed tackles against the Chiefs, and the Jaguars have a strong run-blocking offense that has two running backs who are more than capable of forcing missed tackles at an efficient clip. The Broncos had the seventh-lowest stuff rate of any run defense in Week 1 according to NextGenStats, which should bode well for the Jaguars' running game.

Secondary Versatility

Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jourdan Lewis (2) is introduced before an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Browns 34-10. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Jaguars used their cornerbacks in a really unique way in Week 1, with defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile mixing and matching his cornerback combinations to ensure Travis Hunter, Montaric Browns, Jourdan Lewis, and Jarrian Jones were all able to get onto the field at one point or another. Whether that meant experimenting with the options on the outside or moving Lewis and Jones around the defense, the Jaguars proved to have one of the NFL's mist versatile secondaries in Week 1.

“I think that's extremely rare. Great thing to be able to kind of tinker with every game and go into it in terms of who your matchups are, who's in together, when. I think it gives you an opportunity to keep guys fresh, but also, when you have four guys at the corner position of that caliber, I haven't been around that," Campanile said on Thursday. "And the other thing I'll say about that is, they're really selfless guys. They love playing together, they love football, all the nuances that come with that in that position and knowing it and challenging each other to know it better every day. That's been really fun to watch with those guys too.”

Meanwhile, the Broncos' cornerback room outside of Patrick Surtain II is ... not very good. Riley Moss is a posterchild for DPI and missed tackles, while former first-round pick Jahdae Barron barely plays and Ja'Quan McMillian allowed a 104.2 passer rating when targeted Week 1. In terms of which secondary can keep up the best with the opposing weapons, give me the Jaguars.

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