The Denver Broncos took a while to actually show up, but they played a good fourth quarter to get an important win.
The Denver Broncos finally showed up to start their season after playing six sleepy quarters, as they came from behind to get a 20-13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars to keep from going down 0-2.
The first half wasn’t quite as ugly as what the Broncos put on the field against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night, but it wasn’t much better, either. The first quarter featured a punting festival as neither team scored, and Jacksonville got on the board first on a solid eight-play drive that covered 72 yards in the second quarter, with running back Bhayshul Tuten finishing things off with a one-yard TD run to make it 7-0.
The Broncos finally woke up a little as the two teams traded field goals after that, with Denver kicker Wil Lutz knocking one home from 20 yards on a drive the Broncos failed to finish, and Cam Little got that one back on a 44-yard field goal late in the half to give the Jags a 10-3 lead.
The Broncos showed signs of life in the third quarter as the two teams once again swapped field goals. Little’s came from 23 yards out as the Denver defense rose up and stopped a 64-yard drive, and the Broncos came back with a 45-yard drive that resulted in another Lutz field goal, this one from 45 yards.
That made it 13-6, but Denver dominated the fourth quarter, starting with a balanced drive that covered 64 yards in ten plays, with Nate Adkins snaring a seven-yard pass to tie the game at 13-13.
Jacksonville then missed a key 54-yard field goal, and the Broncos capitalized with another touchdown drive that featured some fine passing from quarterback Bo Nix. Coleman finished the drive with the first touchdown run of his NFL career from three yards out, and the Broncos had a 20-13 lead.
That became the final score as the defense improved steadily throughout the game, and in the second half of the fourth quarter they looked like the swarming, pesky unit we’ve become used to seeing.
Jags QB Trevor Lawrence finished at 17-for-29 for 189 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception, while Nix outgunned him by going 22-for-31 for 288 yards, and he also had a touchdown and a pick. The receiving star was Jaylen Waddle, who had eight catches for 138 yards, including a 49-yarder, as he showed why the Broncos acquired him with multiple big plays that energized both the crowd and the rest of the offense.
There’s still plenty to clean up, but at least Broncos fans can breathe a sigh of relief as the real version of their team finally showed up.
