Jaguars expose Broncos' vulnerabilities, shattering win streak and impacting playoff seeding. Now facing division rivals, Denver's dominance is challenged.
After 11 consecutive wins, the Denver Broncos have finally found their first loss since Week 3. The Jacksonville Jaguars took down the Broncos to a score of 34-20, taking Denver’s record to 12-3 on the year.
With a first-round bye at stake, the Broncos completely folded. The defense allowed 346 yards while the offense gifted Jacksonville with two turnovers. Both sides of the ball for the Broncos failed to perform at the level of supposedly the No. 1 team in the AFC.
After the loss, the New England Patriots now share the same record as the Broncos, meaning the final two weeks will be vital in determining who earns the coveted bye week. It may be too farsighted to even think about the first-round bye, however, as the Broncos haven’t finished claiming their own division yet.
The Los Angeles Chargers are just one game behind Denver in the AFC West, and the two team sare set to face off in the final game of the regular season. The Chargers got the best of Denver in their first matchup of the season, beating them 23-20 in Week 3. Denver can’t afford another loss to their division rivals again.
Denver’s Week 16 loss to the Jaguars meant they would no longer be able to claim possession of the No. 1 spot in Bleacher Report’s power rankings as they had over the past couple of weeks. Following the big loss, the Broncos have slid down to No. 4.
“If you had doubts about the Broncos because of late comebacks during their 11-game winning streak, this lopsided loss against a top-10 scoring team wouldn't be a surprise,” the B/R NFL Staff wrote alongside the ranking.
Week 16 should serve as a wake-up call to the Broncos, who have escaped countless games with a win this season on the backs of late-game comebacks. There is no more room for subpar performance on either side of the ball – the end of the NFL season is not a forgiving one.
A matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs next week should allow Denver to get back on track, as they’ll be going up against the third-string quarterback of Kansas City. From there, the final game of the season against the Chargers will determine the Broncos' position in the AFC West and in the conference as a whole.