The Jacksonville Jaguars were the only team to walk into Empower Field last year and pull off an upset against the Broncos, dropping a season-high 34 points on them in the process.
Liam Coen knows Denver hasn’t forgotten that tape, and they’ll be hunting pure revenge when they meet again this weekend.
“We have to be aware of their good players and their good schemes and their good coaching,” Coen said in his press conference previewing the Broncos week. “Also, going into this atmosphere, the communication both verbally and visually, guys being on the screws.”
Why Jaguars vs. Broncos Rematch is So Heated
The Jaguars’ 34-20 dismantling of the Broncos in Week 16 wasn’t just another notch on the belt. It was the reason behind Jacksonville’s eight-game, division-clinching tear. And for Denver, it left a sole home-field loss on an otherwise spotless record.
Not only did the Broncos have to watch a surging AFC South rival hijack the momentum they built over 16 weeks under a first-year head coach, but they bled on their own turf—a combination that left them chafing all offseason.
The rematch was supposed to happen last winter, giving Sean Payton a direct shot at settling the books. Instead, a tight wildcard-round exit against the Bills slammed the door shut, robbing the Broncos of the chance to answer back until now.
Coen knows that the Broncos will be gunning to avenge the exact loss.
“We know how they are going to respond – there is no question,” Coen said. “They are a well-coached, talented team that we have obviously a lot of film on from last year, and then obviously playing them later on helps with some of that.”
Liam Coen has Clear Plan for Broncos
However, Coen has a plan. The Jaguars already know what the atmosphere is like at Empower Field from their trip last season, and the extra tape from that matchup made scheming this week that much easier.
“I’m sure they’re looking at that game just as much as we are. For me it’s more, ‘OK, we have the experience of going there and going through that trip and knowing what that’s like and the altitude and the atmosphere and then having to go and play a quality opponent.'”
What Coen does want to ensure before their trip to Colorado is for every player in the locker room to know the plan so well that they can spell it out word for word even in the middle of their nap.
“I told them (the team) this morning: We have to know this plan so well that you know what the guy next to you is going to be able to do without having to say it to him or speak or talk about it,” Coen said. “That is how well we have to be connected this week.”
The Jaguars don’t expect a quiet afternoon in Denver after handing them their only home loss last season. But they aren’t walking in without ample preparation either.
“That is how intentional we have to be in our work and our preparation.”
Jaguars Liam Coen Sends Clear Message to Broncos Before Week 2 Rematch