Bo Nix and Broncos defense turn second-half pressure into 20-13 win over Jaguars

Bo Nix and Denver's defense changed the game after halftime Sunday. The Broncos erased a 13-0 deficit, scored 20 straight points and beat Jacksonville 20-13 at home.

Jacksonville controlled the first half through field position and short scoring chances. Bhayshul Tuten's one-yard run and a Cam Little field goal gave the Jaguars a 10-3 halftime lead. Little added a 44-yard field goal in the third quarter to make it 13-3, then Denver answered with 17 straight points.

The Broncos' offense finally found the end zone in the third quarter. Nix connected with Nate Adkins for a seven-yard touchdown, then Denver's defense forced the Jaguars to settle for another empty stretch. Lutz's 45-yard field goal tied the game, and Jonah Coleman's three-yard touchdown run put Denver ahead 20-13.

The sequence mattered because Jacksonville had made Denver play from behind for most of the afternoon. Once the Broncos stopped giving away short fields, Nix had enough room to keep the comeback moving. Riley Moss intercepted a pass during Denver's response, and McMillian broke up a late deep attempt before Jacksonville missed a 54-yard field goal. Denver's defense closed the fourth quarter without allowing another scoring drive.

Jacksonville's offense produced only 13 points despite leading 13-0. The Jaguars could not match their early efficiency after halftime, and Little's two field goals were part of Jacksonville's first-half scoring; Denver scored all 17 of its points after halftime. Denver's late control also protected a home win in a game that had looked headed Jacksonville's way.

The result left both teams 1-1. Denver leaves the afternoon with a comeback built on halftime adjustments, while Jacksonville has to account for a second half in which its early lead disappeared without another touchdown. The Broncos' winning stretch came from the touchdown pass, a short rushing score and a defense that kept the Jaguars out of the end zone when the game tightened.

Jacksonville's early advantage came from three scoring possessions, but Denver's response was larger than a routine rally. The Broncos put together the touchdown pass to Adkins, the tying field goal and Coleman's go-ahead run in succession. ESPN's game report described the 17-point burst as the decisive stretch and noted that the win ended Jacksonville's nine-game regular-season winning streak. Jaylen Waddle also gave Denver a new receiving option in the win, while Coleman supplied the late rushing finish. Those details add context to the score: Denver did not need one last-minute play, it changed the game's pace after halftime and protected the lead through the final period. The Broncos entered Week 2 after a season-opening loss, so the result restored them to 1-1 while Jacksonville also left 1-1.