Trevor Lawrence's surge and other Jaguars storylines to watch vs. Broncos

The Jacksonville Jaguars have exceeded expectations this season. Projected to win six or seven games in Year 1 of the Liam Coen era, they're instead 10-4 with three weeks left. Moreover, they're one game away from clinching their first trip to the playoffs since 2022. And if that wasn't enough, the Jags have a chance to seize the No. 1 seed in the Conference. Of course, getting it won't be a walk in the park.

After completely and utterly dominating the New York Jets, Jacksonville will next face the Denver Broncos. Although the game won't get the primetime treatment, it will feature two of tthe op three teams in the conference. Think of it as the unstoppable force about to collide with an immovable object.

The red-hot Jaguars are the unstoppable force, and the Broncos are the immovable object. Unless the bout ends on a tie, something's gotta give, right? With this in mind, here are three storylines to keep an eye on in Week 16.

Can Trevor Lawrence keep playing at a top-10 level for the Jaguars?

Even when you take into account that drops and penalties hurt the team, Trevor Lawrence wasn't particularly efficient, missing throws that he should've made and making less-than-ideal decisions. He wasn't outright bad, but he wasn't great either.

However, a series of things have made Lawrence played considerable better since the BYE: The letting it rip comments, wearing a wristband, the arrival of Jakobi Meyers, and a better grasp of the Liam Coen system.

Now, No. 16 is playing like a top-10 quarterback. He's coming off a historical performance, but because it game against the dreadful New York Jets, a few analysts, albeit a minority, are adding an asterisk. Here's the thing, though. Yes, Lawrence has torched several bad teams, but that's precisely what good quarterbacks do.

Moreover, Lawrence had no trouble shredding the Colts defense, and that's no pushover. Against the Broncos, he'll have a great opportunity to prove that the Jets game was no fluke. While it may be unrealistic to score 50 points against the Denver defense, expect the former Clemson Tiger to come through.

Can the Jaguars pass rush contain Bo Nix?

Josh Hines-Allen popped up on the initial injury report for Week 16 but is a full-go. He and bookend pass rusher Travon Walker must prevent Bo Nix from making plays with his feet. Jaguars head coach Liam Coen is well-aware of the sophomore quarterback's ability to extend plays, so expect defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile and his group to cook something for the game.

In the interior defensive line, defensive tackles DaVon Hamilton and Arik Armstead will also be tasked with collapsing the pocket and flushing Nix out, where Walker and Hines-Allen can bring him down. If the Jaguars can pull it off, which is by no means a walk in the park, it could be a long day for the Broncos.

Are the Jaguars ready to get the spotlight?

As noted before, this game deserved to be flexed to Sunday Night; it won't. But even then, the Jaguars will have a chance to prove that they're legit. Even if they don't clinch the No. 1 seed (they would need help), a win would send a huge statement across the NFL: Liam Coen's squad can go toe to toe with the best teams, and nobody will want to face them in the playoffs.

On the other hand, a loss won't be the end of things, but it will most definitely raise questions about Jacksonville's viability as a playoff team and whether it will be one-and-done.

The good news is that the Jaguars are in control of the narrative, and they'll get the chance to decide how it unfolds.