Florida Sports Wires
DENVER (www.jaxsportsnews.com) With a second-half flurry, the Denver Broncos (1-1) stampeded back to earn their first win of the season. Facing a double-digit deficit, Denver scored 17 consecutive second-half points to knock off the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1) and secure a 20-13 win.
After a three-point first half, the Broncos scored on all three of its second-half possessions before running out the clock at the end of the game.
“I thought you know we played complementary enough in the first half, and that was what was disappointing was the complementary football, specifically in the second half. As we really went to the fourth quarter, was when you needed a drive, right? You needed a stop.
You needed a catch. You needed a play. We just, didn’t do it, right? We just didn’t make it,” said Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen.
The visitors took a 7-0 lead on 2nd quarter on a one-yard run by Bhayshul Tuten. With the rushing touchdown in the first quarter, Tuten has scored in three of his last four games. Denver cut into the lead on Lutz’s 20-yard field goal. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence was 17 of 29 for 189 yards passing and one interception.
Cam Little kicked the first of two field goals, 44 and 23-yards, as Jacksonville built a 13-6 advantage going into the final quarter.
Riley Moss’ third-quarter interception of Trevor Lawrence set up the Broncos’ initial touchdown drive. Denver tied the game on quarterback Bo Nix’s seven-yard pass to Nate Adkins.
The game winner came on Jonah Coleman’s three-yard run.
“We got to go watch and see how we can put these guys in a better position to be successful, and we got to make some more plays. When we get one-on-one opportunities, whether it’s in the pass rush or in a block or a catch, whatever that is, we got to make some plays,” added Coen.
The Broncos held the Jaguars to just three second-half points, picked off Lawrence and limited the quarterback to a 63.7 passer rating.
After Denver tied the game, Jacksonville appeared on the move toward retaking the lead. On third-and-8 from Denver’s 36-yard line, Lawrence attempted to find Parker Washington for a first down, and Ja’Quan McMillian undercut the route.
McMillian forced Jacksonville to settle for a field-goal attempt. When Little hooked the 54-yard attempt, Denver took over near midfield. The Broncos would go on to take the lead and secure their first win of the season.
At one point, the Broncos posted five consecutive drives with at least 45 yards and multiple first downs. Denver, though, trailed through three quarters. In the Broncos’ first goal-to-go scenario, Denver was forced to settle for a field goal after three consecutive runs from the Jacksonville 1-yard line.
On the ensuing opportunity, QB Bo Nix was picked off to keep the Broncos off the board. That luck changed in the second half, though.
Nix found tight end Adkins for the 7-yard touchdown in the early stages of the fourth quarter, and running back Coleman plunged into the end zone to give Denver its lead. That increased success in the red zone — along with holding Jacksonville to a field goal on a third-quarter trip to the goal line — proved to be the difference.
Early in the second quarter, the Broncos were trailing by seven points and in need of an offensive spark. Facing a third-and-1, Nix picked up a first down with his legs at midfield. On the ensuing play, Nix escaped the pocket and launched a 49-yard pass down the field to wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who leaped up to make the grab at the 1-yard line.
Waddle finished the game with a team-leading eight receptions for 138 yards in the win. In his first home game as a Bronco, wide receiver Waddle broke the century mark. He caught eight passes for 138 yards, including the deep pass from Nix.
Moss faced a slew of targets on Sunday, and he came up with a big interception late in the third quarter to set up the Broncos’ tying touchdown drive.
Jacksonville Notables: With 98 receiving yards on seven receptions, Parker Washington has surpassed 80 receiving yards in his last six games (including postseason) and surpassed 1,500 career receiving yards. He is the first Jaguar to have 80-plus receiving yards in six-straight games. Washington has at least five catches in six straight games (including postseason). With seven tackles, LB Foyesade Oluokun moved into third place in franchise history in total tackles (619). CB Jourdan Lewis intercepted Nix in the end zone in the first half, the 13th interception of his career and his third in 14 games played with the Jaguars With 17 receiving yards in tjhe game, Brenton Strange has moved into fifth place in franchise history for receiving yards by a tight end (1,026 yards). Brian Thomas Jr. extended his streak with at least one first-down reception to 33 consecutive games. Thomas Jr.’s 33-game streak with a first-down reception is the longest to start a career in franchise history and the second longest overall. With the special teams tackle today, Ross Matiscik has 24 in his career. That is the most among long snappers in the league since he entered the NFL in 2020.
Denver Notables: Inside linebacker Alex Singleton came up with a crucial third-down pass breakup to hold the Jaguars to a field goal in the third quarter Adkins caught three passes on three targets for 32 yards and a touchdown.Rookie running back Coleman scored his first NFL touchdown to give the Broncos a fourth-quarter lead. Coleman rushed the ball 10 times for 39 yards, including a first down that sealed the game.
(Thanks to Aric DiLalla, Lead writer, www.denverbroncos.com and photographer Gabriel Christus/Denver Broncos)
JAGUARS STAT LEADERS
Passing
T. Lawrence: 17/29, 189 yards
Rushing
B. Tuten: 13 att, 65 yards, 1 TD
C. Rodriguez Jr.: 6 att, 13 yards
Receiving
P. Washington: 7 rec, 98 yards
B. Thomas Jr.: 3 rec, 40 yards
J. Meyers: 1 rec, 28 yards
B. Strange: 2 rec, 17 yards
Defense
F. Oluokun: 7 TT (5 solo)
V. Miller: 7 TT (3 solo)
J. Lewis: 4TT (4 solo), 1 INT
D. Gardeck: 4 TT, 1 TFL, 2 QBH
T. Hunter: 4 TT (4 solo), 1 PD
