It’s not often an early season game is labeled as a must-win affair in the National Football League. However, the Denver Broncos faltered immensely in their 2026 debut against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Nothing went right for the Broncos in their Week 1 matchup. In fact, it was arguably a Murphy’s Law gridiron endeavor with none of the game’s three phases firing on all cylinders. Call it an overreaction if you want, but Denver has to find a way to take care of business against Jacksonville this afternoon.
Make no mistake, Broncos Country—the Jaguars will be a tough opponent to topple.
Their offense with Trevor Lawrence at the helm and Head Coach Liam Coen calling the shots makes them a Top 10 group in the NFL. Lawrence was magnificent down the stretch last season and started off this year hot pouring on four touchdowns against the Cleveland Browns last Sunday. Moreover, Coen’s play-calling ability and personnel diversity has provided them with a much-needed spark.
Their defense, coached by Anthony Campanile, was the best in the league last year at defending the run. That presents a big challenge for the Broncos this afternoon. With RJ Harvey unlikely to play due to a hamstring issue, Denver will have to lean on J.K. Dobbins and rookie running back Jonah Coleman to revitalize a rushing attack that was virtually absent against the Chiefs.
What makes this matchup even tougher is how great Campanile’s defense is at making big plays. They embarked on an incredible turnaround when it came to takeaways last season. In 2024, the Jaguars had just eight. Last year? 31. The Broncos can’t shoot themselves in the foot and turn the ball over if they hope to achieve their first victory of the year.
Last but not least, Denver’s special teams’ ability took a hit with Marvin Mims Jr. being ruled out for the contest with a foot injury. They will need Kris Abrams-Draine and the others who are tasked with kickoff and punt return duties to help with the field position battle. The Broncos need quality drive starting position to give their offense a chance to capitalize.
In the coming weeks, the Broncos will play the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Chargers, and Seattle Seahawks. Do any of those games look like sure-fire wins for Denver? Absolutely not. Every game in the NFL is tough, but all four of those teams are quality opponents. The reigning Champions, two NFC title contenders, and a division rival—that’s quite the gauntlet.
Falling to 0-2 with that on the horizon would be a worst-case scenario for the Broncos. While Sean Payton teams have historically started off slow, Denver can’t afford to let this afternoon be another one of those days. The mistakes and miscues that hampered them against the Chiefs can’t be present today. A big win today would give them a big boost of confidence heading into an arduous four-game slate in the coming weeks.
Will the Broncos rise to the occasion and get to 1-1 on the season? We are fixing to find out shortly.
