DENVER — The Denver Broncos 11-game win streak is over.
Bo Nix passed for a career-high 353 yards and 1 touchdown, but the Broncos’ typically stout defense couldn’t stop Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars‘ attack.
Lawrence passed for 3 touchdowns and Jacksonville didn’t turn the ball over once in their 34-20 win. Nix turned the ball over twice, which accounted for both Denver turnovers on the day. He fumbled once and threw 1 interception.
The Broncos fell to 12-3 and suffered their first loss of the season at home.
Here’s what stood out throughout the game.
Defensive struggles
Sunday was arguably the Broncos’ worst defensive performance of the season. Trevor Lawrence had no issue slicing them up.
Denver’s defense started hot, forcing a punt on three of the Jaguars first four possessions, but after that the floodgates opened.
Jacksonville scored on all of their following five possessions, including three touchdowns.
The Broncos gave up a season-high 34 points.
Bo Nix’s tale of two halves
Against the Jaguars on Sunday, Bo Nix picked up right where he left off coming off a four touchdown performance against the Green Bay Packers.
At halftime, Nix was 11 for 17 for 153 yards, one touchdown and 113.1 passer rating.
Nix’s touchdown in the first half was a perfect read and throw by the second-year quarterback off his back foot.
What made Nix’s performance in the first half even more impressive is the Jaguars are a top 10 defense.
After halftime, however, Nix came back down to earth.
In the third quarter, Sean Payton dialed up a successful trick play. With Courtland Sutton open 40 yards down the field, Nix under threw him, forcing him to make a difficult catch in traffic. Sutton was not able to hold on to the ball as he came down. Instead of a touchdown, the Broncos punted a few plays later.
On the next drive, Nix and Jaleel McLaughlin were on different pages on a read option, which led to a fumble.
In the 4th quarter, when Nix has showed up the most this year, he threw an interception straight to the Jaguars. With eight minutes left in the game and down 14 points that all but ended the game.
Court was in session
Courtland Sutton had a full days work in just the first 18 minutes of the game.
With 13 minutes left in the second quarter, Sutton already had four catches for 53 yards and a touchdown.
After that, however, Court’s luck ran out. He didn’t have another catch the rest of the game in meaningful time.
Still control their own destiny
Despite the loss, the Broncos still control their own destiny with all of their goals still in front of them.
With two wins to end the season, Denver will clinch the AFC West and the No. 1 seed. On Thursday Night Football, the Broncos will face the Kansas City Chiefs‘ third-string quarterback after Gardner Minshew tore his ACL on Sunday. Chris Oladokun has only played two games in his NFL career.
In Week 18, the division could be on the line when the Los Angeles Chargers come to town. If the Chargers beat the Houston Texans next week, Week 18 is guaranteed to be a meaningful game.
RJ Harvey’s explosion
On the Broncos’ first drive of the second half, RJ Harvey had the play of the game. From Jaguars’ 38-yard line, the rookie exploded through the middle of the line for the first down. He then met two Jaguars defender, blowing by the first one and escaping the grasp of the other.
The explosive rookie then turned on his jets and sprinted to the other 25 yards before diving into the end zone for a touchdown.
Harvey’s touchdown tied the game for the Broncos.
On the very next drive, Harvey showed off his joker abilities, catching a ball out of the backfield and breaking yet another tackle.
Harvey had 121 yards from scrimmage, which set a new career high for him.
Sack attack
The Broncos have the best pass rush in the NFL. And Sunday was a terrific performance.
Thanks to five sacks, the Broncos tied their franchise record with 63 sacks on the season, which was set last year.
Denver has a legitimate shot to break the all-time sack record with two games left.