Jaguars take Lawrence's four-TD opener into Denver after Broncos' MNF collapse

JACKSONVILLE - The Jacksonville Jaguars open the road portion of their schedule against a Denver Broncos team still sorting through a Monday Night Football rout. Jacksonville plays at Empower Field on Sunday, Sept. 20, after Trevor Lawrence threw four touchdown passes in a 34-10 home win over Cleveland, while the Broncos fell 31-10 to Kansas City to close Week 1.

Lawrence completed 18 of 23 passes for 245 yards and touchdowns to Parker Washington, rookie Josh Cameron, Brenton Strange, and Jakobi Meyers, the Associated Press reported via CBS Sports. His 150.6 passer rating was a career high. Jacksonville scored on six of its first seven possessions and sacked Deshaun Watson five times in Todd Monken's Cleveland debut.

The only early scare on offense was wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., who left with a shoulder issue in the second quarter before returning for the final series of the half. Head coach Liam Coen said Monday he fully expects Thomas to play in Denver, with possible practice limits during the week but no longer-term concern, Heavy Sports reported.

Thomas finished with three catches for 40 yards before the flare-up of a shoulder problem that dated to joint practices with Tampa Bay.

Broncos host after Kenneth Walker ran them over

Denver's Monday night tape is the opposite extreme. Patrick Mahomes returned from a nine-month injury layoff, but Kenneth Walker III carried the Chiefs with 173 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a 31-10 win, Broncos Wire reported. Kansas City finished with 220 rushing yards.

Bo Nix, back from a broken ankle suffered in last season's playoffs, threw an interception on Denver's opening series, later added a touchdown pass to Evan Engram, and lost a fumble that set up Walker's second score.

The Broncos' next opponent is 1-0 Jacksonville. That matchup now carries a different weight than it did before Monday. Denver's run defense must slow a Jaguars offense that spread four different touchdown targets in Week 1. Jacksonville's front, which wrecked Watson, will meet a Broncos offensive line that failed to protect Nix or create consistent push against Kansas City's front.

Depth and the AFC early measuring stick

Coen also lost defensive end B.J. Green to an elbow injury at halftime of the Browns game, AP noted. Right tackle Cole Van Lanen started eight months after knee surgery and played the first half before Walker Little took over.

Those footnotes matter less than Lawrence's rhythm. The quarterback said the trust with Thomas has grown through offseason communication; Coen emphasized that the offense needs all 11 to run, even when Thomas is limited in practice.

Jacksonville entered the season as a trendy AFC South pick after Lawrence's late-2025 surge and a playoff berth that ended in a three-point wild-card loss to Buffalo. The Browns opener was the first data point. Denver is the first true measuring stick - a home AFC opponent coming off an embarrassing MNF loss and desperate to reset before the schedule hardens.

Sunday's 4:05 p.m. ET window on CBS puts both 0-1 and 1-0 narratives on the same field. Lawrence arrives with momentum.

The Broncos arrive needing a reset. Thomas is expected to be available. How Denver's defense answers four different Jaguar scoring threats - and how Jacksonville's pass rush treats Nix after Mahomes and Walker finished him - will define the first true road test of Liam Coen's year.

Sources

CBS Sports

Heavy

broncoswire.usatoday.com