Sep 19, 2021; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Denver Broncos strong safety Kareem Jackson (22) celebrates after a reception by cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) in the fourth quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Key Matchup That Will Define Jaguars vs. Broncos

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By Andy Quach | Last updated Dec 19, 2025 1:00 PM ET

In Week 16, the Jacksonville Jaguars go on the road to take on one of the most underrated teams in the NFL this season. Despite their sterling 12-2 record, not many have shown faith that the Denver Broncos could be legitimate Super Bowl contenders this year. That's a sentiment that the Jaguars can empathize with.

The biggest question mark surrounding the Broncos is their offense. While Bo Nix and Co. have shown some encouraging flashes, Denver has repeatedly played down to their competition this season, largely due to offensive shortcomings. Anthony Campanile and the Jaguars' defense should be able to keep the Broncos' attack in check, but Jacksonville's offense will have to put up points against an elite unit.

Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

What can the Jaguars do against the Broncos' defense?

The Denver Broncos' offense has picked things up lately, averaging nearly 27 points in their last four games. However, the two outings before that, they put up a combined 28 points against the Houston Texans and the Las Vegas Raiders. They also scored just 20 versus the Tennessee Titans and only mustered 13 against the New York Jets.

The Jacksonville Jaguars should be able to shut down RJ Harvey and Denver's ground game the way they have all season. Anthony Campanile's zones will test Bo Nix's processing and ability to stand tall under pressure. The Jaguars have a decent chance to shut the Broncos down. However, the same could be said the other way, with Jacksonville's offense set to take on a Denver defense that ranks in the top five in both yards and points allowed per game.

"I believe on our defense, they do it every week!"

The @Broncos just keep on winning pic.twitter.com/Mtxxl9EhzB
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) December 17, 2025

The fact of the matter is that the Broncos are still 6-1 in games when they score 22 or fewer points. That's because their defense only allowed 14.9 points on average in those contests. Jacksonville should be able to contain Denver, but can its offense find enough juice to outscore the Broncos? They'll need their stars to show up to do so.

FanDuel has Trevor Lawrence's line set at 223.5 passing yards, lower than Bo Nix's 236.5. If the Jaguars are going to pull off the upset, T-Law will almost certainly have to outperform Nix. His top two targets are predicted to find tough sledding against Pat Surtain II and Riley Moss. Jakobi Meyers is listed at 56.5 receiving yards, while Brian Thomas Jr. is at 45.5. Running the ball successfully will be paramount for keeping the Broncos' defense honest. Travis Etienne Jr.'s line is at 62.5 yards rushing.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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This article first appeared on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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