The Denver Broncos snapped a four-game losing streak against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, a thrilling 21-17 win. We take a look at five takeaways from the game.
Russell Wilson rides after INT
Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson overcame an early interception to lead Denver to victory, their first in five weeks. On touchdown drives of 75 and 98 yards, Wilson went 6-of-6 for 64 yards and 5-of-5 for 88 yards, respectively.
Although he looked shaky at times, Wilson took control when he needed to, and did enough for the Broncos to win.
Denver's secondary shows out
The Broncos secondary balled out, getting two interceptions on Jaguar’s quarterback Trevor Lawrence. K’Waun Williams, the Denver defender who iced the game, defended two passes, and came up with the game-winning turnover.
Safety Justin Simmons collected the other interception, a timely pick on the goal line.
Penalties continue to plague
On the day, the Broncos committed 12 penalties for 81 yards. Conversely, the Jaguars only committed five penalties for 54 yards. Denver is the most penalized team in the NFL, and only added to its total today. The Broncos had a down week against the New York Jets, showing that they are capable of not committing costly penalties. Let’s chalk it up to British refs.
Red zone offense shows life!
After seven games of miserable red zone offense that flatlined nearly every game, the Broncos’ goal-line unit’s pulse finally showed signs of life. In three trips to the red zone, Denver scored touchdowns each time. They topped their average per-game scoring total by nearly a full seven points. If this trend continues, the second half of the season looks bright.
Third down problems
During the Jaguars’ game, the Broncos were 2-for-11 on third down. While Jacksonville’s defense presented several issues for Denver, the third down woes are troubling for a team that punts more than five times a game. If the Broncos can fix their third down troubles, the second half of the season might be worth looking forward to.
