JACKSONVILLE — With the playoffs fast approaching, the Jacksonville Jaguars aren’t just part of the AFC picture — they are starting to define it. Sunday’s emphatic 34-20 road win over the Denver Broncos, who entered the day as the conference’s top seed, pushed Jacksonville to 11-4, extended its winning streak to six games and placed the Jaguars squarely on the doorstep of an AFC South championship.
This is no longer a feel-good story. This is a power move.
First-year head coach Liam Coen has Jacksonville playing its most complete football in years. The offense attacks with confidence, the defense responds with authority, and the Jaguars now carry themselves like a team that expects to win — regardless of venue or opponent. In a crowded AFC full of contenders, Jacksonville suddenly looks like the standard everyone else must measure against.
The engine driving it all is Trevor Lawrence, the former Clemson superstar who is finally delivering on the promise that made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft. Lawrence carved up Denver’s defense with 279 passing yards, three touchdown throws and a rushing score, committing no turnovers in the biggest game of the Jaguars’ season. It was the kind of performance that ends debates.
Once labeled inconsistent, Lawrence now looks composed, decisive and in command. He spreads the ball efficiently, protects possessions and makes the right play when it matters most. Coen’s system has simplified the offense without neutering it, allowing Lawrence to trust his reads and attack defenses rather than react to them. The result is a quarterback playing the best football of his career at exactly the right time.
Coen’s influence stretches well beyond the quarterback position. Jacksonville’s offense blends explosive plays with balance, keeping defenses off-kilter while controlling the tempo. The Jaguars don’t chase points — they apply pressure. On the other side of the ball, the defense has been opportunistic and disciplined, forcing key turnovers and tightening in critical moments. It’s a group that feeds off momentum and rarely gives it back.
Sunday’s win over Denver was the clearest proof yet. The Broncos entered riding an 11-game winning streak and holding the AFC’s top seed. Jacksonville walked into Mile High Stadium and took control early, answering every challenge with poise and precision. The Jaguars didn’t just beat a contender — they looked like the better team from start to finish.
That’s why the conversation around the AFC is shifting. Kansas City still looms. Buffalo still threatens. Baltimore still intimidates. But Jacksonville now belongs at the front of that discussion, armed with a hot quarterback, a confident roster and a coach who has accelerated a rebuild into a legitimate championship window.
With one more strong finish, the Jaguars could secure the AFC South and position themselves for a deep postseason run. And if they keep playing like this, a Super Bowl appearance won’t sound ambitious — it will sound logical.
The Jaguars are healthy, hungry and humming. The rest of the AFC has been put on notice.
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