Jacksonville goes on the road to face the Denver Broncos in an early-season clash between two AFC powerhouses.
Unfortunately for the Jacksonville Jaguars, they don't get to play the Cleveland Browns at home every week.
One week after putting a 34-10 beatdown on the Browns, Jacksonville now goes on the road to square off against the Denver Broncos in a battle of two AFC powerhouses.
Denver was the AFC's top seed in the postseason last year. Were it not for a broken ankle suffered by quarterback Bo Nix in the divisional round, it is very likely the Broncos would have been the conference's representative in Super Bowl LX.
Instead, Denver's season ended with Jarrett Stidham playing QB in a 10-7 home loss against the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.
Denver will be coming into this game motivated after falling 31-10 against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football. You can be sure Sean Payton will have his team ready to go, especially with the possibility of starting 0-2 on the table.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars will be heading into Empower Field at Mile High as a very confident team. Not only has Jacksonville won nine straight regular-season games dating back to last season, but one of those victories came against Denver in this very building.
Behind three touchdown passes and another on the ground from Trevor Lawrence, the Jaguars waltzed into Denver and left with a 34-20 win.
How Jacksonville Wins The Rematch
If the Jaguars want to leave Denver victorious once again, there are several factors that must go in their favor.
For starters, Jacksonville must run the ball effectively. The Jaguars' running backs were an area of concern for analysts all offseason, but Bhayshul Tuten started strong against Cleveland in his first game as Jacksonville's lead back.
Denver racked up 68 sacks last season, the most in the NFL. If the Jaguars can keep Denver's defense away from Lawrence on Sunday, they have a great shot at winning. The best way to do that is by having success on the ground. Chiefs' RB Kenneth Walker III gashed the Broncos for 173 yards on Monday.
Turnovers will also be key on Sunday. Lawrence has been phenomenal at taking care of the ball during his dominant stretch dating back to the second half of last season. If Jacksonville can win the turnover battle over Denver, or at least have it be a draw, the Jaguars' chances for a victory go way up.
Jacksonville also must keep Denver from having its own running game take over. The duo of J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey was largely taken out of the game against the Chiefs on Monday. If the Jaguars can limit the pair and keep Nix from beating them with his legs, they should be in great shape.
Keep an eye on wide receiver Parker Washington. The budding star had six catches for 145 yards and a score in last season's win at Denver. Despite the huge game, Washington feels he "left a lot on the table" against the Broncos. If he duplicates that kind of success, it will be hard for the Broncos to win.
Final Thoughts
Week 2 provides a huge matchup that should have playoff implications down the road.
These are the games that Jacksonville will be judged on going forward. Beating Cleveland at home is one thing. Walking out of Denver with a win is another.
The Jaguars should expect the Broncos' best shot on Sunday. Nobody wants to start a new season 0-2, and Denver will no doubt be pulling out all the stops to avoid it.
If Jacksonville wants to be thought of as one of the NFL's best teams, beating Denver in Denver will make a huge statement.
