- May 21, 2026
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With Week 1 in the books, it's time to start thinking about Week 2. There's one game that stands out, mainly for where it has been tucked into the TV schedule.
The entire slate for the second week of the season has only two games pitting a pair of 2025 playoff teams against each other: Steelers-Patriots in the 1:00 p.m. ET cluster and Jaguars-Broncos in the late-afternoon window.
But Jaguars-Broncos isn't one of the 4:25 p.m. ET games. It begins at 4:05 p.m., with a regional TV audience. The big window goes to Commanders-Cowboys on Fox (Raiders-Chargers and Seahawks-Cardinals are also in that spot.)
Yes, the Cowboys are the Cowboys. They continue to draw big TV crowds. But the Jaguars went 13-4 last year. They thumped the Broncos in Denver in Week 16, 34-20. This time around, it's the home opener at Mile High Stadium. And, suddenly, the Broncos will be feeling more than a little antsy, after losing badly to the Chiefs on Monday night.
The scheduling decision fits nicely with Jacksonville coach Liam Coen's belief that his team is being overlooked. It gives him extra grist for the "disrespect" mill. Which should make it easier to get the players ready for a repeat of last year's underrated performance against the team that won the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
From a programming standpoint, it makes sense to go with the Cowboys. Still, Jaguars-Broncos should be a better — and more consequential — contest.
The message to Coen and the Jags is clear. To get more attention, you'll have to command it. The best way to do that in the short term will be to send the Broncos to 0-2.
The entire slate for the second week of the season has only two games pitting a pair of 2025 playoff teams against each other: Steelers-Patriots in the 1:00 p.m. ET cluster and Jaguars-Broncos in the late-afternoon window.
But Jaguars-Broncos isn't one of the 4:25 p.m. ET games. It begins at 4:05 p.m., with a regional TV audience. The big window goes to Commanders-Cowboys on Fox (Raiders-Chargers and Seahawks-Cardinals are also in that spot.)
Yes, the Cowboys are the Cowboys. They continue to draw big TV crowds. But the Jaguars went 13-4 last year. They thumped the Broncos in Denver in Week 16, 34-20. This time around, it's the home opener at Mile High Stadium. And, suddenly, the Broncos will be feeling more than a little antsy, after losing badly to the Chiefs on Monday night.
The scheduling decision fits nicely with Jacksonville coach Liam Coen's belief that his team is being overlooked. It gives him extra grist for the "disrespect" mill. Which should make it easier to get the players ready for a repeat of last year's underrated performance against the team that won the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
From a programming standpoint, it makes sense to go with the Cowboys. Still, Jaguars-Broncos should be a better — and more consequential — contest.
The message to Coen and the Jags is clear. To get more attention, you'll have to command it. The best way to do that in the short term will be to send the Broncos to 0-2.