Frank Frangie, Brent Martineau, John Oehser and Brian Sexton all picked the Jacksonville Jaguars to defeat the Denver Broncos in their Week 2 matchup on Sept. 20 at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado. The predictions came after the Denver Broncos opened the 2026 season with a 31-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Martineau was the only analyst to provide a projected score, calling for a 24-20 Jacksonville Jaguars victory.
Jacksonville Jaguars offense faces Denver pressure
Frangie said the Jacksonville Jaguars must continue the effectiveness of quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the passing game. He also cited Jacksonville’s physical play in both trenches and athleticism in the secondary, while noting that the Denver Broncos present a more difficult challenge than the team Jacksonville faced in its opener. Frangie identified Denver’s pass rush and its ability to pressure Lawrence into mistakes as possible turning points.
“I think the Jags have the better team. They are confident and in a bit of a rhythm already. If they play well, they win,” Frangie said.
Martineau set a specific standard for Jacksonville: more than 100 rushing yards and at least an even turnover differential. He said the Jaguars stayed committed to the run during their December meeting with Denver in 2025 and will need to be more efficient while maintaining that commitment on the road. Martineau also said Denver must establish an offensive identity, run effectively and protect quarterback Bo Nix to keep pace.
“The Jaguars will make a statement to the league and beat the Broncos, 24-20,” Martineau said.
Denver Broncos bring familiar challenges
Oehser said the Jacksonville Jaguars must match the energy, effectiveness and stamina they showed in Denver during the previous December. Jacksonville defeated Denver 34-20 in Week 16 of the 2025 regular season, ending the Broncos’ 11-game winning streak. Oehser added that last season’s result does not determine Sunday’s game.
Oehser expects the matchup to be decided late, potentially by which defense makes a key stop in a critical situation. He said Jacksonville has shown over the last nine regular-season games that it can win in multiple ways, but added that winning in Denver requires a mentally tough team performing at a high level. He also said Denver must improve its offensive balance and pressure Lawrence after struggling to produce consistently in its Week 1 loss.
“The guess here is the Jaguars are that type of team and will win Sunday,” Oehser said.
Sexton focused on a precise rushing benchmark, saying Jacksonville must average 4.85 yards per carry to control the game and limit the impact of Denver’s pass rush. The Broncos allowed the Kansas City Chiefs 5.8 yards per attempt in Week 1, and that production helped slow a Denver pressure unit that recorded 68 sacks during the 2025 season. Sexton said Denver must protect Nix after the quarterback struggled to find time to throw against Kansas City.
“The Jaguars proved last Sunday they’re as good as any team in football this season, and this should be an epic game between two teams with Super Bowl aspirations – and it’s only Week 2,” Sexton said.
Jacksonville Jaguars prepare for Week 2 road matchup
The Jacksonville Jaguars held practices at the Miller Electric Center on Sept. 16 and 17 ahead of the Week 2 matchup. The game will test whether Jacksonville can maintain its passing-game effectiveness while producing enough on the ground to keep Denver’s pass rush from controlling the action. Jacksonville also will need to avoid the turnovers Martineau identified as a potential problem on the road.
The matchup presents challenges for both quarterbacks. Lawrence must handle Denver’s pass rush and avoid the mistakes the Broncos will try to create, while Nix and the Denver offense must improve after the 31-10 loss to Kansas City. The four analysts agreed that Jacksonville’s ability to run effectively, protect Lawrence and control the game’s key situations will be central to its chances.
FSB Take
The unanimous prediction from the four Jacksonville Jaguars analysts points to the same central issue: Jacksonville must win the line-of-scrimmage battle without losing its passing-game rhythm. Martineau’s rushing threshold, Sexton’s 4.85-yards-per-carry standard and the emphasis on turnover differential provide specific markers for the matchup. Jacksonville’s 34-20 victory in Denver last season offers recent context, but the Jaguars must execute again against a Denver team seeking a response after its Week 1 loss.
Source: Original report