For eleven straight games, the Denver Broncos looked invincible. But that run crumbled on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars after they lost 34-20. And quarterback Bo Nix was left searching for answers in the wreckage.

“We got hit in the mouth today,” the quarterback said in the post-game conference. “They played a good game. We let it get away, but you’d rather have it hit you now than in the first round of the playoffs.”

He felt his team didn’t fire on all cylinders.

This was Denver’s first home loss since Oct. 13, 2024, which only added to how jarring it felt. The Broncos have already locked up a playoff spot, but they haven’t wrapped up the AFC West, and the chase for the No. 1 seed just got more complicated.

Nix was pretty productive tonight, but the mistakes cost them big time. He threw for 353 yards, the best game of his young career, and added a touchdown. But that production was mixed in with an interception and a fumble.

The first key mistake was a fumble, which occurred after Bo Nix mishandled an exchange with running back Jaleel McLaughlin. Trevor Lawrence took over and went right back to work. Jacksonville marched down the field for its fifth straight scoring drive, settling for a 26-yard Cam Little field goal that pushed the lead to 34–17 early in the fourth quarter.

The next critical error was an interception.

Denver was still pushing after cutting the deficit to 34–20. On fourth down from Jacksonville’s 41, Bo Nix locked onto Pat Bryant, but cornerback Jarrian Jones stepped in front and intercepted it midway.

Penalties didn’t help either. Denver committed two major penalties on a Jaguars scoring drive earlier in the game. Defensive tackle Malcolm Roach was flagged for landing with his full weight on Trevor Lawrence in the third quarter, and corner Jahdae Barron was called for pass interference in the end zone in the same quarter. That call drew some debate. Lawrence finished the drive by sneaking in from the 1.

Denver has been one of the most penalized teams in the league, so that part wasn’t shocking. Instead, their defense shocked people.

Denver’s shockingly poor red-zone defense

The pass rush showed up. Denver sacked Lawrence five times and pushed its season total to 63 sacks. But Lawrence still threw for 279 yards, three touchdowns, and didn’t turn it over once. Even more telling, Jacksonville went 4-for-5 in the red zone against what had been the league’s best unit down there.

It was a surprise. Denver entered Week 16 with the top red-zone defense in football, allowing touchdowns on just 38.5 percent of opponent trips inside the 20. On Sunday, that standard disappeared. And the problems weren’t limited to the red zone.

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Denver gave up chunk plays early in downs and couldn’t get off the field late. Jaguars converted 8 of 15 third downs, and Lawrence repeatedly found rhythm throws, especially targeting wide receiver Parker Washington to keep drives alive.

The night got worse as it went along for Denver. Inside linebacker of the Broncos, Dre Greenlaw, was ruled out early in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury. Then, in the final 30 seconds, wide receiver Pat Bryant took a brutal hit. He was carted off the field.

There is still a path forward for Denver. Win the next two (against the Chiefs and the Chargers), and the Broncos take the AFC West and the No. 1 seed. But the margin is gone now. The defense has been their backbone all season, and it has to look like it again.