The Jacksonville Jaguars walked into one of the NFL’s toughest venues and left with a statement. In a game that felt like a playoff preview, Trevor Lawrence delivered four total touchdowns to power a 34-20 win over the Denver Broncos in Week 16, snapping Denver’s 11-game winning streak at Empower Field at Mile High. It wasn’t just a win. It was the clearest sign yet that Jacksonville’s franchise quarterback is playing the best football of his five-year career.

Lawrence was in full command, throwing three scores and punching in a 1-yard keeper on a drive extended by two Broncos penalties. The Jaguars never let go of the wheel and kept Denver at arm’s length even as the fourth quarter tightened. The victory moved Jacksonville to 11-4 (5-2 away), while the Broncos fell to 12-3 (7-1 home) in their first home loss of the season.

Trevor Lawrence’s statement game in the thin air

From the opening series, Lawrence played on time and with purpose. He pushed the ball downfield, trusted his reads, and used his legs when needed. The result: three touchdown passes and a short-yardage score that broke Denver’s back. Jacksonville scored on five consecutive drives, a testament to rhythm, protection, and play design.

“I feel great with our offense right now, what we’re able to do, the passing game, guys are making plays, giving them opportunities down the field, and we’re protecting well. We’re doing a lot of things well. We just got to not take it for granted,” Lawrence said after the game. That calm confidence matched what we saw. He kept the offense out of bad downs and let his playmakers finish drives.

Travis Etienne grabbed a 10-yard touchdown reception to highlight Jacksonville’s screen-and-space game, while a steady 26-yard field goal from rookie kicker Cam Little kept the scoreboard moving. The Jaguars did not need trickery; they needed execution. They had it.

“Is this the week Trevor Lawrence became elite?”

Coen’s system, Meyers’ timing, and a QB in total control

Over the last six weeks, Lawrence has looked fully at home in first-year coach Liam Coen’s system. The timing routes are sharper, the vertical shots are cleaner, and the checkdowns are smarter. The midseason addition of Jakobi Meyers at the trade deadline has helped, too. Meyers’ savvy route running has given Lawrence a trusted target on money downs, and you can see the chemistry building in real time.

That cohesion matters late in the year. It turns second-and-long into third-and-manageable and keeps a defense from pinning its ears back. It is also the reason Jacksonville has bludgeoned opponents on the scoreboard lately. In the five games before this one, the Jaguars piled up 171 points while allowing just 72. That is not a hot streak; that’s an identity forming.

Broncos’ streak ends: Bo Nix shows fight, and flaws

Denver has been the league’s hottest team for months, and the 11-game win streak did not happen by accident. But against a locked-in Jacksonville defense, rookie quarterback Bo Nix had to chase the game. There were flashes, like RJ Harvey’s 38-yard burst that lit up the home crowd. There were also stumbles. Nix acknowledged a fumbled exchange with running back Jaleel McLaughlin, saying, “Both of us wanted the ball.” Moments like that short-circuit drives in tight matchups.

Late in the fourth quarter, with the Broncos pressing from Jacksonville’s 41 on fourth down, Nix was intercepted by Jarrian Jones. It was the kind of play that defines a day: Jacksonville stayed disciplined, and Denver blinked first. The Broncos made a push in the final period, but the Jaguars answered each time and never lost two-score control for long.

“That 11-game run ended because Jacksonville won the details.”

Discipline and details: the hidden battle Jacksonville won

Both teams sit near the top of the league in penalties, and that showed. Denver committed two costly fouls on the series that ended with Lawrence’s 1-yard keeper. Those flags extended the drive and flipped the field. For a Broncos team that has thrived by stacking clean, efficient possessions, those mistakes were the difference between a field goal and a touchdown allowed.

On the other sideline, Jacksonville played cleaner football in the big moments. The blocking held up, the substitutions were crisp, and the play calls stayed balanced. That is how you come into a 7-0 home team’s stadium and win by two scores.

How Jacksonville built and kept control

The Jaguars did not need a miracle rally. They built the lead piece by piece. Etienne’s 10-yard touchdown catch showed how dangerous the running back can be in space. Little’s 26-yard field goal kept pressure on Denver to answer. Lawrence’s short rushing score, earned after the Broncos extended the drive with penalties, made it a multi-score cushion. Each time Denver hinted at a push, Jacksonville got back to basics and finished a drive.

In simple terms, this is what worked:

• Protection: Lawrence had time to find his second read and take safe shots.
• Tempo: The Jaguars mixed pace and personnel, forcing Denver to declare coverages.
• Finishing: Red-zone snaps became touchdowns, not field goals, when it mattered most.

“Liam Coen plus Lawrence looks like January football.”

What it means for the AFC playoff picture

Jacksonville moves to 11-4 with a 5-2 mark on the road. That travel toughness is a real asset in January. The Broncos, now 12-3 and 7-1 at home, are still firmly in the AFC race, but the streak is gone and the margin for a top seed gets thinner. Both teams look like playoff teams. On this day, the Jaguars simply looked more ready.

Lawrence’s season arc is the bigger story. With each week, his timing with Meyers tightens, his grasp of Coen’s offense deepens, and his confidence grows. That is how great units are built. The last six weeks suggest this is not a blip but a rise.

Final word

The Broncos have been the league’s heater for months, but Jacksonville cooled them off in their own building. Lawrence accounted for four touchdowns, the defense made the late stand it needed, and the Jaguars beat a great team with clear eyes and clean football.

If the Jaguars keep this level, they will be the team no one wants to see in January. Denver will learn from the miscues. Jacksonville will file this one as proof: they can go anywhere, against anyone, and win when it matters most.