With a playoff berth already secured, the 12-2 Denver Broncos now turn their focus to the AFC West crown. To clinch the division title, Denver must avoid a letdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars, as a victory today is a critical piece of the puzzle for securing the top seed in the conference.
A loss to Jacksonville wouldnāt just stall their division title hopes; it would leave the Broncos needing to win at least one of their final two games, tough matchups against the Chiefs and Chargers, to guarantee the AFC West title.
The Broncos enter the contest on a historic tear, boasting an 11-game winning streak dating back to Week 4. However, they face a dangerously hot Jaguars team currently riding a five-game winning streak of their own since Week 11.
A loss to the Jaguars could also see the New England Patriots (11-3) tie the Broncosā record in a fierce competition for the top spot in the AFC. The Patriots play the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night to try and catch Denver.
Broncos vs. Jaguars head-to-head
History has not been kind to the Broncos in this matchup. While the Broncos lead the all-time series 8-7, they havenāt beaten Jacksonville at home in over a decade, with their last home victory coming in 2013. Even more staggering.
Denverās most notable home victory against Jacksonville came in 1998, a 37-24 win led by Hall of Famer John Elway. In that contest, Elway threw for 295 yards and a touchdown to best a Jaguars squad led by Mark Brunell.
Since then, the home-field advantage has evaporated against the Jaguars; the most recent meeting at Empower Field in 2019 ended in a 26-24 Denver loss. While the Broncos managed to win the last two meetings on the road in Florida (2021 and 2022), they are desperate to snap a 10+ years streak of frustration against Jacksonville.
