3 Broncos earn game balls for win over Jaguars

The Denver Broncos were able to pull out a victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday and will now enter the bye week by relieving a lot of pressure.

A loss to the Jaguars may have meant the end of the coaching tenure of Nathaniel Hackett. It may have also prompted the team to trade away some players before Tuesday’s trade deadline.

Instead, the Broncos dug deep to come up with the victory. After falling behind 17-14 with around four minutes left to play, the Broncos needed a late-game drive and they got one. That drive opened with a 49-yard pass from Russell Wilson to K.J. Hamler.

Moments later, a short touchdown run by Latavius Murray provided the winning score. But there are three players that will be spotlighted here, getting game balls for the Broncos’ third win of the season.

Broncos Week 8 game balls: Jerry Jeudy, Wide Receiver

Jerry Jeudy has been the subject of trade rumors all week but the Broncos may think twice about making a move with their former first-round pick. Jeudy had a great game on Sunday.

It is clear that the Denver offense still faces challenges conforming to the system that Hackett wants to run, but Wilson was able to get the ball in Jeudy’s hands in this game and allow him to make things happen.

Jeudy finished the game with six receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown, but the two seemed to form a good understanding together and that was the most important aspect of Jeudy’s day. He and Wilson have not had much chemistry this season so if this is the start of something that can be built upon, then Broncos fans could finally see Jeudy be the guy that he was always hyped up to be.

On his touchdown score, Jeudy came in motion and caught a touch pass from Wilson before making some shifty moves to score from six yards out.

Broncos Week 8 game balls: Greg Dulcich, Tight End

The Broncos seem to have found something in third-round pick Greg Dulcich, who is finally healthy and contributing to the team. Much of his contributions in this game came on one drive, but it was a key drive for the Broncos.

Trailing 10-7 in the third quarter, the Broncos started a drive on their own 2-yard line. Wilson went to Dulcich on first down for a gain of 18 yards. That play seemed to put the team in a rhythm and Wilson was throwing the ball with more zip and confidence.

He found Dulcich on two other plays on the drive, the second of which took Denver all the way down to the Jaguars’ 1-yard line. From there, Melvin Gordon ran it in to give the Broncos the lead.

On that drive alone, Dulcich caught three passes for 78 yards. He finished the game with four catches for 87 yards but it was that possession that really changed the game and allowed the Broncos to open up the playbook a bit more.

Wilson appears to have a ton of confidence in the rookie and the Broncos have a guy who can threaten a defense down the field from the tight end position and that is going to be huge for this struggling offense.

Broncos Week 8 game balls: K’Waun Williams, Cornerback

The move to sign K’Waun Williams in free agency this offseason is proving to be a great one to this point. He has done exactly what the Broncos have needed him to do at the nickelback spot, being solid against both the run and the pass.

Despite having a cast on his arm, Williams was out on the field making plays in this game and he made the defensive play that sealed the victory.

With the Broncos holding a 21-17 lead, Jacksonville had just under two minutes to go down the field and try and win it. But on first down, Trevor Lawrence threw the ball toward the sideline and Williams made a fantastic play on the ball, stepping in front of the intended receiver and snagging it, then holding onto it after hitting the ground.

The play had to be reviewed but it was clearly an interception. Williams is having a nice season for the team and he made the kind of game-saving play that can be rallied around in the coming weeks.