National Football League

Jaguars face big challenge against Broncos

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:15 p.m. ET

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- During a season full of disappointment, the Jacksonville Jaguars' patchwork offensive line has actually been mostly steady.

That unit is about to collide with its biggest challenge of the season when the Denver Broncos come to town.

Again relying on a ferocious pass rush to boost one of the league's top defenses, the Broncos will be looking to keep a frustrating season going for the Jaguars as they try to keep pace in a heated AFC playoff race on Sunday at EverBank Field.

"They are obviously one of the best, if not the best, and rightfully so," Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles said of Denver's defense. "At every position, they are extremely talented and they do a good job."

The Super Bowl champion Broncos (7-4) will have to fight to return to the postseason while playing in a resurgent AFC West. Denver is currently two games behind the division-leading Oakland Raiders and a game back of the Kansas City Chiefs with five games to play, and it is dealing with an injury to quarterback Trevor Siemian.

Siemian missed another practice Friday because of his left foot injury and was ruled out for Sunday's game.

First-round rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch will start after Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak made the switch official following Friday's practice.

Lynch gets his second start of the season in place of Siemian, who sustained the foot injury in the first possession of overtime in last Sunday night's 30-27 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The 24-year-old Siemian finished the game but experienced pain in his foot the next morning. He was placed in a walking boot Tuesday and did not practice all week. Siemian threw for a career-high 368 yards and three touchdowns against the Chiefs.

The Jaguars (2-9), losers of six straight games, have already clinched their ninth consecutive season without a winning record and won't be headed to the playoffs without some sort of miracle.

Instead, they will mostly spend the last chunk of the season building for the future.

"We just want to finish and win games here," defensive end Tyson Alualu said. "You've heard it all year about how we have the talent and the guys to be contenders in this league. For us to have the season that we're having, at 2-9, it is frustrating. You have to go out there and continue to do your job the best you know how."

That's the message preached by Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley, particularly to the offensive line this week.

Denver is first in the league in pass defense and fourth in total defense, largely because of a pass rush that hounds opposing quarterbacks.

It starts with outside linebacker Von Miller, who has a league-leading 12.5 sacks, and extends throughout a unit that has gotten to opposing quarterbacks 35 times -- more than any other team this season.

Jacksonville has done a solid job protecting Bortles. He has been sacked just 23 times while being among the league leaders in pass attempts despite losing left guard Luke Joeckel for the season in October and having to shuffle players at several spots along the offensive line at different points.

But they haven't faced a group as talented as that of the Broncos, who boast Miller and linebackers DeMarcus Ware and Shane Ray as part of a fearsome unit.

"He's special," Kubiak said of Miller. "He's obviously a great player, and he's become a leader on the football team. Von has played very consistent level for us this year, playing at a Pro-Bowl level."

Miller said, "We are just sitting here trying to get wins. Whatever it takes to get those, we are going to do it."

While the Broncos are busy planning to get after Bortles, Jaguars defensive coordinator Todd Wash is doing the same to harass the inexperienced Lynch.

For the Jaguars, that starts with rookie defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, who leads the team with six sacks, and former Broncos standout Malik Jackson, who has 4.5.

The Jaguars are also dealing with several injuries, notably running back Chris Ivory, who was ruled out against Denver after leaving during the first quarter of a loss to the Buffalo Bills last week with a hamstring injury.

Jacksonville wide receiver Allen Hurns (hamstring), wide receiver/punt returner Rashad Greene (Achilles) and defensive end Jared Odrick (shoulder) have also been ruled out. Tight end Julius Thomas (back) is officially listed as doubtful and will likely miss his second straight game.

Meanwhile, the Jaguars will search for any way to limit a talented Broncos pass rush -- and get their first win of the season in Jacksonville.

"We are excited to get a chance to come back after two away games to come play at home," Bortles said. "We feel as though, offensively, there are some good things going on, so we would like to continue that and bring it here and hopefully win at home in front of our crowd."