If Jacksonville wants to beat Denver on Sunday, it needs to commit to running the ball against Denver's top defense.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have an opportunity to make a huge statement to the rest of the NFL by beating the Denver Broncos on the road on Sunday.
Whoever walks out of Empower Field at Mile High victorious after the matchup between two AFC powerhouses will look like one of the conference's best teams. In a game likely to have serious playoff implications down the road, whoever wins will have locked up the head-to-head tiebreaker should the teams finish the season with the same record.
Jacksonville is coming into its showdown with the Broncos extremely confident. Not only did the Jaguars start their season with a dominant 34-10 stomping of the Cleveland Browns, but they have also won nine straight regular-season games, including a victory against these same Broncos in Denver last December.
Denver, on the other hand, is looking to bounce back after falling to the Kansas City Chiefs 31-10 on Monday Night Football.
Both teams will have to bring their A-game if they want to win on Sunday.
For the Jaguars to start the season 2-0, they will need to commit to their running game against the Broncos, despite quarterback Trevor Lawrence's phenomenal stretch.
Neutralize And Attack Denver's Defense
Denver is expected to have one of the NFL's best defenses this season, even if it didn't look like it against the Chiefs.
One of the Broncos' defense's best attributes is its pass rush. Denver led the league with a whopping 68 sacks last season, 11 more than the next team. Jacksonville must utilize its running game in order to neutralize Denver's pass rush.
Even if it starts slowly, the Jaguars cannot abandon the run. To win, Jacksonville must keep Lawrence upright during the game. Using the run game to set up the passing game, especially play-action, will be Jacksonville's best chance to control the game.
The running game can also do more than just neutralize Denver's impressive pass rush.
If Week 1 was any indicator, Denver's run defense may be a weakness the Jaguars can attack. Against the Chiefs, Denver allowed 220 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground on 38 rushes. Kansas City averaged a stellar 5.8 yards per carry.
Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III had an impressive debut for his new club. Walker racked up 173 rushing yards and a score on 23 carries.
Bhayshul Tuten had a strong opener against Cleveland last week. In his first game leading the Jaguars' backfield, Tuten ran 15 times for 66 yards. Power back Chris Rodriguez Jr. added 23 yards on six carries.
Jacksonville is going to have to lean on the duo on Sunday. An effective running game will open things up for Lawrence, his receivers, and the Jaguars' explosive passing attack.
Failure to run the ball against Denver and become one-dimensional will allow the Broncos to pin their ears backs and make life miserable for Lawrence all afternoon.
Final Thoughts
Being able to run the ball may be the biggest key to a Jacksonville victory over Denver.
For an offensive line still trying to build some continuity, Denver's defensive front presents a tremendous challenge. If the line can create holes for the running backs, it should be a big boost to its confidence going forward.
If the run game is working, Denver's defense will spend the game off-balance and unable to focus on Lawrence and the passing attack, which should allow Lawrence to pick his moments and go for the kill shot.
