The Jacksonville Jaguars started the 2026 season with a bang, winning a decisive 34-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns in Week 1. While that win certainly had an impact, it was also a win over the Browns, which many analysts find less impressive than a victory over a more difficult opponent, which the Jaguars face in a slate of games over the next several weeks.
Jacksonville will face the Denver Broncos in Week 2, a team that seemingly is a Super Bowl contender. However, Denver is also coming off a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1. Both teams will be looking to make a statement: the Jaguars that their success was not simply because they faced an easy team, and the Broncos that their loss was not a signal of the season to come.
Here are
five storylines to follow in Sunday's game.
Can Jacksonville's offense prove Week 1 wasn't a fluke?
It's no exaggeration to say the offense, led by Trevor Lawrence, was on fire against the Browns. The Jaguars excelled both on the air and ground, with a trio of Bhayshul Tuten, Chris Rodriguez, and Ameer Abdullah proving that Liam Coen's vision of a complementary running back room works, and Lawrence taking full advantage of the numerous weapons he has in the wide receiver room. Lawrence went 18/23 for 245 yards and four touchdowns, for a passer rating of 150.6, and Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, Josh Cameron, and Brian Thomas Jr. also performed well. Brenton Strange likewise hauled in two catches for 23 yards.
To be fair, the Browns defense is no slouch, but the Broncos defense theoretically should put up more of a fight. If Jacksonville's offense continues performing at a high level against a tougher opponent, like Denver, it will go a long way towards proving that it is the real thing.
Can the Jaguars exploit Denver’s struggling run defense?
The Chiefs made mincemeat out of the Broncos' run defense. There were questions about Kenneth Walker III and whether he would continue playing at the same elite level he had in Seattle after moving to Kansas City, and Monday night's game silenced every one of them. He racked up 173 rushing yards, including a 60-yard TD and three catches for an additional 18 yards. In total, the Chiefs offense walked away with 220 rushing yards.
Last season, Denver had a strong defense, including against the run. However, that run defense has been increasingly struggling. The Week 1 loss to Kansas City is the third straight game in which the Broncos gave up 141 or more rushing yards. Will Jacksonville be able to take advantage of this growing weakness, or will Denver finally be able to stop the run?
Can Jacksonville keep Bo Nix uncomfortable?
Nix played at an elite level in 2025, enough so that while he didn't end up in the top five, there was consistent MVP buzz surrounding him last season. There were some struggles and inconsistencies, most notably with deep passes, though he ultimately led the Broncos to the AFC Championship Game. His broken ankle late in the playoffs destroyed Denver's chances of making the Super Bowl and paved the way for the New England Patriots to go instead.
All eyes were on Nix in Week 1 to see how he would recover, and judging by the loss to the Chiefs, it wasn't well. He was sacked, fumbled three times, and threw an interception. The Jaguars will need to keep the pressure on Nix, force him to make mistakes, and stop the offense from getting into a rhythm — or pulling off a fourth-quarter comeback, which Nix has become known for.
Will Brian Thomas Jr. make a bigger impact?
One of the biggest offseason conversations surrounding the Jaguars was about Thomas and whether he could rebound from a disappointing sophomore season. Week 1's performance from Thomas was not bad; he had three catches for 40 yards. However, compared to the overall explosive performance of the offense, it was quiet.
Thomas will surely want to make a bigger statement in Week 2, though he will be facing a Denver secondary that will likely be more difficult than Cleveland's.
Can the Jaguars fight off a motivated Broncos team at home?
It would be easy to assume that the Broncos won't be much of a challenge after their ugly loss to the Chiefs. But the Jaguars will not only be playing an away game, but are playing a team that will be desperate. Denver is facing its third 0-2 start in four seasons, and Sean Payton is 4-8 in September.
The Broncos are almost certainly going into this game motivated to break the reputation the team has for slow starts. Adding to this motivation is almost certainly Jacksonville's 2025 upset, in which the Jaguars won 34-20, breaking Denver's 11-game winning streak and 12-game winning streak at home. The Broncos, in short, are going into this game embarrassed, desperate, angry, and ready for revenge. That can lead to mistakes, but Denver is still a talented team that clearly has something to prove, making this match even tougher for Jacksonville to walk away victorious.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 5 storylines to watch in Jaguars vs. Broncos in Week 2
