The Jacksonville Jaguars are seeking another road victory in Denver this Sunday. Look out for the tight ends and running backs to make a big impact.
This weekend will mark the first real test of the 2026-2027 season for the Jacksonville Jaguars, as the team looks to replicate the success they had against the Denver Broncos last year on Sunday.
The Jaguars' offense was clicking in Week 1, while the Broncos had a surprisingly poor defensive effort on Monday Night Football against the Kansas City Chiefs.
But, the Broncos are still slight favorites to come away with a win, as the Jaguars look to repeat history.
Last November, the Jaguars had perhaps their most impressive win of the regular season in Mile High, ending Denver's ten-game win streak with a 34-20 victory.
Ahead of this year's matchup, NFL Films Executive Producer and Analyst Greg Cosell joined the Ross Tucker Podcast, where he identified the tight end position as a potential exploit this weekend.
"One area where I think they [Broncos] do struggle, is I think their linebackers are not very good in pass coverage," Cosell said. "It would not surprise me if [Brenton] Strange, the tight end of the Jaguars is a factor in this game."
Strange, who took over as a full-time starter for the first time last season, posted career highs in receptions (46) , receiving yards (540) and touchdowns (three).
He did so despite playing just 12 games, a career-low.
Following his breakout year, Strange was rewarded with a 3 year, $36,000,000 rookie extension.
In Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns, Strange recorded two catches for 23 yards and a score, keeping his momentum going into Sunday's pivotal matchup.
Rookie tight end Nate Boerkircher is another player who is likely to see increased opportunities, with the Jaguars' top draft pick recording his first career catch in Week 1 and playing 38 snaps, leading all first-year TEs.
Adding beef to the tight end room was a target for Jacksonville in the draft, as head coach Liam Coen has begun adding more heavy-personnel packages to his arsenal.
CBS Sports' JP Acosta reported that Jacksonville ran "13 personnel," which employs three tight ends, for ten snaps on Sunday.
Last season, the team ran this formation just 31 times total.
For a running back room stepping into the post-Travis Etienne era, having extra size on the line of scrimmage should help Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr. find their footing.
Denver gave up 173 yards on the ground to reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker in Week 1, so look out for potential gash plays from Tuten.
Jacksonville faces off with Denver this Sunday at 4:05 p.m.
