Denver, CO
Win over Broncos should allow Jaguars to think about ‘super’ heights
Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence discusses his team’s sixth straight win
Trevor Lawrence threw three touchdown passes and ran for one score in the Jaguars’ 34-20 win over the Denver Broncos.
DENVER — Time to recalibrate our expectations for this Jacksonville Jaguars team. Time to set a higher bar. Time to think about bigger things. Time to talk about goals beyond an AFC South title.
Like Super Bowl things.
How can you not after watching the Jaguars beat the Denver Broncos 34-20 at the cauldron known as Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday, Dec. 21? It was impressive and thorough and workmanlike, how the Jaguars ended the Broncos’ 11-game winning streak and handed them their first home loss in more than a year.
The Jaguars should believe a division title — they lead the Houston Texans by a game — isn’t enough.
The Jaguars should feel winning a first-round playoff game is only the beginning of a magical run in January/February.
And the Jaguars should be confident regardless of whether they have to return to Denver or play at New England next month.
“The fight of this team,” veteran receiver Tim Patrick said as he shook his head. “It was our first time this year going back and forth against somebody and battling and the continued will to execute at a high level when the pressure was on, I’m definitely proud of the guys.”
Welcome to the party, Jaguars. The Super Bowl Contender Party.
Hey, New England, Denver and Buffalo in the AFC and the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle, Philadelphia and Chicago in the NFC, make a place at the table for the Jaguars, who have won 11 games in a season for the first time since 2007 and have a six-game heater for the first time since 1999.
They … have … arrived.
“It’s not about ‘arriving’ — I knew what we had in OTAs (last spring),” cornerback Jourdan Lewis said. “I guess the rest of the league (now) understands who we are.”
Coen doesn’t care about narrative
Opponents should understand the Jaguars are hitting a new stride in their passing game (three touchdowns for quarterback Trevor Lawrence), have myriad play-makers (take a bow, receiver Parker Washington) and are all kinds of opportunistic on defense (two more takeaways).
But maybe to spice things up and feed the internal narrative that nobody believe in them, Jaguars coach Liam Coen found a new target last week: Broncos coach Sean Payton.
During the week, Payton said of the Jaguars: “It’s a smaller market, but you see a real good team.”
Not sure what being a smaller market has to do with winning in the NFL with revenue sharing and the salary cap, but Payton tends to stir the pot, even if it isn’t on purpose.
You really never know where Coen is going to take a press conference. To get the briefing going, I threw out an innocuous, big-picture question about all three phases contributing to the win. (And they did. The special teams was lights out.)
“Great team effort,” Coen began.
But then, he couldn’t help himself.
“Just thankful that a small-market team like us can come into a place like Mile High and get it done,” Coen continued.
Boom. I asked Coen if it really was a rallying cry.
“You know … yes. Yeah,” he said.
Whatever works. Back in Week 4, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh was the figurative bullseye. Being a home underdog to Indianapolis two weeks ago was noted. Entering this game, it was Payton.
Manufactured motivation has been a part of sports at all levels since the first newspaper was published and first microphone was turned on to gather audio.
Look, as I talked to a long-time team employee earlier this month about, the Jaguars won’t get their desired respect even if they won the Super Bowl. The headlines outside Jacksonville the next morning would be more about the losing team.
Coen kinda embraces it, but sorta not.
“We don’t really care about the narrative,” he said. “I want that narrative to keep coming. It’s only helping us.”
Team getting better each week
You know what’s really helping the Jaguars? They’re a darn good team. A team improving each week.
This is why I won’t make a habit of writing the “Nobody believes in us. Nobody respects us,” card. I’ll leave that to players, coaches and fans.
What should be the focus is how the Jaguars took the lead over Denver for good with 4:33 left in the second quarter, part of a stretch where they outscored the Broncos 27-7.
Against the Broncos’ league-best red zone defense, the Jaguars went 4 of 5.
Against the Broncos’ league-best third down defense, the Jaguars went 8 of 15.
And against the Broncos’ league-best pass rush, the Jaguars gave up five sacks, but for a total of 14 lost yards.
The Jaguars offense is borderline unstoppable with a league-high 12 games of at least 25 points.
After consecutive punts to open the game, the Jaguars went touchdown, punt, touchdown, field goal, touchdown, touchdown and field goal to take control.
After allowing a Denver touchdown, the Jaguars’ defense went field goal, punt, touchdown, punt, fumble, field goal and interception over the next seven possessions.
As we head toward Christmas, this Jaguars season — unexpectedly entertaining and successful — is presenting you, the fans, the best kind of present. And it’s a ride that may not end until mid-February in Santa Clara, Calif.
“My expectations were already high,” Patrick said. “This was just another stop.”
Just another stop, but a huge stop on the way to the Super Bowl.
Contact O’Halloran at rohalloran@gannett.com
Denver, CO
Tempers flare during another tightly contested matchup between Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder
The University of Denver will close the Ricks Center for Gifted Children next year as enrollment has fallen in recent years, the college announced this week.
The Ricks Center, which serves gifted children as young as 3 years old, will operate for the 2026-27 academic year before closing, according to a letter DU sent parents on Wednesday.
“The University of Denver has made the difficult decision to close the Ricks Center for Gifted Children at the conclusion of the 2026–2027 academic year,” spokesman Jon Stone said in a statement. “This decision reflects long-term operational and financial considerations and is not a reflection of the school’s quality, leadership, or community.”
The center, which is located on DU’s campus, was started in 1984 as the University Center for Gifted Young Children. The program offers classes to students in preschool through eighth grade, according to the website.
The program, along with other public K-12 schools in the state, has experienced declining enrollment in recent years. The center enrolled 142 students for the 2025-26 academic year, which is down from 200 pupils four years ago.
The center will hold a meeting about the pending closure on March 6 for parents.
Get more Colorado news by signing up for our Mile High Roundup email newsletter.
David Fountaine Black
OBITUARY
Dave and Martha and their three boys moved to Denver in 1974 when Dave started work at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. He and a business partner later purchased Mid-America Plating Company. Dave operated Mid-America for 36 years and finally retired in 2018.
He was a great golfer and natural athlete. Dave was an avid runner, and for many years, he woke up before the sun to get his miles in before work. He and Martha loved playing bridge with friends, gardening – growing fruit and flowers – and spending time outside relaxing and walking on the High Line Canal Trail and in Bible Park. Dave and Martha enjoyed getting back to Arizona during the winter at their Tucson home. They loved spending time with their family.
Dave passed away on February 20, 2026. He is loved by family and friends and will be missed. Dave was a hard-working, kind, optimistic, and thoughtful person who leaves the world a better place. He is survived by his wife, Martha, and his three sons, Dave (Robin), Tom (Debbie), Eric (Kendra), as well as six grandchildren and three great grandchildren, Casey (Nicole), Jake (Ashleigh and great granddaughter Faye), Hailey (Robby and great granddaughter Jensen), Keenan (Nicole and great granddaughter Olivia), Griffin, and Addie (Erik).
Prep talk: Councilmember looking into helping fix fire damage at Encino Franklin Fields
Israel strikes two schools in Iran, killing more than 50 people
Anthropic CEO says he’s sticking to AI “red lines” despite clash with Pentagon
FBI raid involving LA schools superintendent possibly tied to failed $6M AI deal, potential conflict
‘Family Mob’ gang members, associates charged in major Minneapolis fentanyl trafficking case: DOJ
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
Israel strikes two schools in Iran, killing more than 50 people
Anthropic CEO says he’s sticking to AI “red lines” despite clash with Pentagon
ICE blasts Washington mayor over directive restricting immigration enforcement
Did the EU bypass Hungary’s veto on Ukraine’s €90 billion loan?
How the federal government is painting immigrants as criminals on social media
-
World2 days agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts3 days agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Montana1 week ago2026 MHSA Montana Wrestling State Championship Brackets And Results – FloWrestling
-
Louisiana5 days agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Denver, CO3 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Technology1 week agoYouTube TV billing scam emails are hitting inboxes
-
Technology1 week agoStellantis is in a crisis of its own making
-
Politics1 week agoOpenAI didn’t contact police despite employees flagging mass shooter’s concerning chatbot interactions: REPORT