4 critical observations from the Jaguars' stunning win vs. the Broncos

The Jacksonville Jaguars faced a tough test when they played the Denver Broncos in Week 16. They passed with flying colors, winning 34-20. Sure, it wasn't easy, especially with the Broncos making a comeback attempt in the fourth quarter. However, the Jags held their ground and prevailed.

Now, the Jags are 11-4 and pretty much a lock to make the playoffs with two weeks to go. They have a pair of winnable games remaining against the Indianapolis Colts and the Tennessee Titans, so nobody will bat an eye if they end up with 13 wins this year. That would be the most they had dating back since 2005, when they racked up 12.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves, and let's instead focus on the Jags' dominant win over the Broncos. With this in mind, here are four critical observations from their lights-out performance.

That baffling penalty call on Antonio Johnson could've hurt the Jaguars

The Jaguars entered the third quarter leading 17-10. The Broncos got the first possession in the second half. For a moment, it looked like the Jacksonville defense was going to stymie the Broncos. But then, Antonio Johnson was slapped with an Unnecessary Roughness penalty despite the fact that he laid a clean hit, leading with his shoulder.

Denver ended up getting a fresh set of downs, and RJ Harvey proceeded to break off a touchdown run to make it 17-17.

Not surprisingly, Jags fans took to Twitter to share their displeasure. Similarly, analysts weren't pleased with the call, with Benjamin Solak of ESPN noting that there's nothing else Johnson could have done to make it a safer hit. Had Jacksonville not won the game, this call could have come back to haunt it.

The Broncos took away Trevor Lawrence's safety blanket Jakobi Meyers (it didn't matter)

Jakobi Meyers has been on fire since landing in Jacksonville via trade, hauling in 27 receptions for 355 yards with three touchdowns in six games. Rightly, the team's brass rewarded him with a $60 million deal with $40 million guaranteed.

The Broncos knew what kind of threat Meyers was and made sure to cover him well on every play. The seventh-year receiver finished with a modest four catches for 45 yards, but it didn't matter. While Denver zeroed in on him, Parker Washington stepped up.

Washington routinely came through whenever Lawrence looked his way. He was arguably the team's best offensive player in Week 16, hauling in six receptions for a career-best 145 yards with one touchdown.

The Jaguars couldn't pressure Bo Nix but still slowed him down

The Jags' pass rush has come to life in recent weeks after barely making an impact earlier this year. However, Jacksonville had trouble pressuring Bo Nix, as he routinely did a good job of extending plays. Nevertheless, Anthony Campanile's unit came through, limiting Denver to just 20 points and forcing two crucial turnovers in the second half. This is more impressive when you take into account that Jacksonville was the visiting team. It didn't matter.

Before the game, Campanile was beginning to garner interest for potential coaching openings in 2026. After stymying the Broncos, his stock will only continue to go up.

Can no longer doubt Trevor Lawrence after shredding the Denver secondary

Trevor Lawrence was rightly the talk of the town after scoring six total touchdowns against the New York Jets. Then again, some analysts (mostly Richard Sherman) weren't impressed because the historical performance came against a struggling New York Jets team. After the Broncos game, No. 16 can no longer be denied.

Despite facing a ferocious pass rush, Lawrence routinely bought himself extra time by navigating the pocket and taking off when he had to. While he was sacked a concerning four times, he still managed to go 23-of-26 for 279 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. On top of that, he added another rushing touchdown.

Having played a big role in the Jaguars' six-game winning streak, it's time Lawrence is discussed as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL going into the playoffs.