Broncos Opponent Profile Week 13: Denver Faces Must-Win Game Against Jacksonville

By Rick Brown

The Denver Broncos (7-4) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9) will meet for the 12th time this weekend. The Jaguars are 6-5 in the series. In just their second season, a Tom Coughlin-coached team came into Mile High Stadium and defeated the heavily-favored Broncos. While there have been some memorable games in this short history, there have also been some games that should just be forgotten, such as the 2004 game when the Jaguars beat the Broncos 7-6.

The Jaguars are typically the chic pick during the preseason. However, their season has once again imploded and they are looking at their sixth straight losing season. Since 2000, the Jaguars have had 11 losing seasons. Up to this point, the owner of the Jaguars, Shahid Khan, has continued to support his head coach, Gus Bradley. The Broncos, meanwhile, are currently on the outside looking in in the AFC wild card race, so they desperately need to win this game.

Jacksonville Jaguars, 2-9

A preseason favorite, the Jaguars have spent the last few seasons building up what they thought would be a playoff-caliber team. After 11 games, the Jaguars have only won two games and are currently on a six-game losing streak. At the end of last season, the Jaguars had built up a lot of momentum. The offense was moving the ball effectively and the defense was making plays. Hopes were high but have since plummeted back to earth. The Jaguars continue to disappoint and the fans should probably be expecting a coaching change after this season's end. In games decided by one score, the Jaguars are 2-6 through 11 games. The other three games were blowouts. This year's team has really regressed, especially on offense.

On Offense

Blake Bortles has a plethora of weapons at his command. The wide receiver tandem of Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns combined for 148 receptions and 2,000 yards receiving and 24 touchdowns in 2015. Through 11 games, the duo only accounts for 88 catches and 1,068 yards and nine touchdowns. The rushing attack of Chris Ivory and T.J. Yeldon has produced mediocre results. The Jaguars are just 24th in rushing yards per game and 26th in points per game. The Jaguars can't seem to find their rhythm and the offense's inability to score points continues to put the defense in a bad position. This offense has scored 30 points just once this season.

On Defense

On the defensive side of the ball the Jaguars are performing better than their offensive counterpart. Currently, the defense is ranked 6th in total yards against. The Jaguars will make it tough for the Broncos to move it through the air, as they are the third best team against the pass. Running the ball may be the way to beat the Jaguars because they rank 24th against the run. This defensive unit also gives up a lot of points and is ranked 27th allowing almost 27 points per game. This should be an interesting matchup between these two teams as they will be playing to each other's strengths. This game could be similar to last week's contest against the Kansas City Chiefs (8-3). We could see a slow start from both teams and possibly a spectacular finish.

Players to watch

One player to watch in this game will be ex-Bronco, Malik Jackson. An integral part to last season's amazing defense, Jackson decided to test free agency and ultimately joined the Jaguars. In his first season, he has 24 total tackles and 4.5 sacks. While Jackson was never much of a stat monster, his on field performance speaks for itself. The Broncos' suspect offensive line will have their work cut out when Jackson lines up against them this weekend. Since the Jaguars have only pride to play for, expect Jackson to have a chip on his shoulder when he faces his old team come Sunday.

Outlook:

The Broncos suffered a tough loss and setback on Sunday night. The team must rebound in order to get back into the playoff race, which means, the team must play like champions against the Jaguars if they have any hope of defending their championship title.