Jaguars vs. Broncos Prediction, Odds & Picks for Sept. 20: Denver Set for Bounce-Back Win

The Jacksonville Jaguars and Denver Broncos meet Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET in an NFL matchup that should tell us quite a bit about both teams as they look to be playoff teams this season. Jacksonville enters 1-0 after looking sharp in its opener, while Denver is trying to respond after getting handled by Kansas City in Week 1.

The Jaguars showed real promise on both sides of the ball. The offense moved efficiently, the defense created turnovers, and Jacksonville looked like a team capable of making some noise this season. Denver was much less impressive, but I am not ready to overreact to one ugly game.

My Jaguars vs. Broncos Prediction has the Broncos bouncing back at home and covering a field goal in a lower-scoring matchup.

Jaguars-Broncos Betting Odds

The Jaguars vs. Broncos odds have Denver favored by a field goal at home.

• Spread: Jaguars +3 (-110) | Broncos -3 (-110)
• Moneyline: Jaguars +130 | Broncos -155
• Total: Over 45.5 (-108) | Under 45.5 (-110)

Jacksonville getting three points will be tempting after how good the Jaguars looked in Week 1. They showed offensive upside and made enough plays defensively to make that opening win feel legitimate.

Denver is being asked to rebound quickly after a rough opener, but this is still a talented football team. One bad performance does not erase the expectations surrounding the Broncos entering the season.

All odds via DraftKings.

Jaguars-Broncos Game Prediction

I like Denver to win this game outright, and I am also comfortable laying the three points.

Week 1 creates some of the biggest overreactions of the NFL season. One strong performance can make a team look further along than it really is, while one bad showing can make a good roster suddenly feel like it has major problems.

Jacksonville deserves credit for what it did, but this is a much tougher test. Denver is at home, Sean Payton has a full week to correct what went wrong against Kansas City, and the Broncos should play with much more urgency after an embarrassing opener. Starting 0-2 is not where this team wants to be, especially in a difficult conference.

The Jaguars will still make Denver work. They already showed they can create turnovers, and that becomes important if the Broncos are sloppy again. I just do not expect Denver to repeat the same mistakes or execution issues we saw in Week 1.

The moneyline at -155 on most sports betting apps is the safer play, but I think Denver wins by closer to 10 points. That makes the spread more appealing.

Best Bet: Broncos -3 (-110)

Jaguars-Broncos Total Prediction

I am taking Under 45.5 as the second play.

Jacksonville looked good offensively in Week 1, but this feels like a different type of matchup. Denver should be much more focused defensively after what happened against Kansas City, and I expect the Broncos to prioritize controlling the game rather than turning it into a shootout.

The Jaguars defense also deserves some credit. Creating turnovers in the opener was encouraging, and even if those takeaways do not continue at the same rate, Jacksonville showed it can make life difficult for opposing offenses.

That is why I don't think Denver needs to score 35 points to win.Something in the range of 27-17 or 27-16 feels realistic. Both outcomes keep us under 45.5 while still giving Denver the comfortable win I am expecting.

The second piece of my Jaguars vs. Broncos Prediction is Under 45.5. I expect Denver to control the game with better execution and a stronger defensive showing.

Best Bet: Under 45.5 (-110)

Final Jaguars-Broncos Picks

Jacksonville enters with momentum and has every reason to feel good about its opener. The Jaguars showed offensive upside, forced turnovers and looked like a team that could be better than expected this season.

Denver is still the side I trust more here. The Broncos are better than what they showed against Kansas City, and this is an excellent opportunity to prove it at home. I am backing Broncos -3 as the primary play, with Denver -155 on the moneyline as the safer alternative.

Under 45.5 rounds out the card. I am expecting a much sharper Denver performance, a lower-scoring game and a Broncos win by roughly 10 points.