If football games were decided by market size, the Jacksonville Jaguars probably shouldn’t have bothered showing up at Mile High on Sunday. But since the NFL still runs on touchdowns, discipline, and execution (not Nielsen ratings), the Jags walked into Denver and walked out with a loud 34–20 win — plus some premium-grade postgame sarcasm.
The Jaguars didn’t just snap the Broncos’ 11-game winning streak on the field. They also won the press conference, which, let’s be honest, is where legacies are really made.
Earlier in the week, Broncos head coach Sean Payton delivered one of the stranger “compliments” you’ll hear in professional sports. While previewing the matchup, he felt the need to mention Jacksonville’s market size — a detail that has absolutely nothing to do with coverages, blitzes, or third-down efficiency. Payton said:
“it’s a smaller market but you see a real good team.”
— Jason Hamby (@Jason_Hamby14) December 18, 2025
never in my life heard a coach mention market size when talking about an upcoming opponent but go off Sean Payton. smh. pic.twitter.com/KNfQ9DY2rt
Which is… fine? Maybe? Except no one in the history of football scouting reports has ever said, “Watch out for these guys — their TV market is limited.” The comment landed somewhere between awkward and unnecessary, and naturally, it didn’t age well.
Fast-forward to Sunday. The Jaguars dominated. Trevor Lawrence and company looked comfortable, confident, and completely unimpressed by the altitude, the crowd, or Denver’s winning streak. By the time the final whistle blew, the scoreboard had done all the talking.
But Jaguars offensive coordinator Liam Coen wasn’t done.
With the subtlety of a perfectly timed play-action fake, Coen delivered the quote of the day during his postgame remarks:
"A small market team like us can come into Mile High and get it done."#JAXvsDEN pic.twitter.com/2V2i8UiKrO
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) December 22, 2025
Short. Clean. Surgical.
No yelling. No drama. Just a calm reminder that “small market” teams are fully capable of big-market behavior — especially when the opponent gives them bulletin-board material for free.
The win pushed Jacksonville to an impressive 11–4 record, officially placing them among the hottest teams in the NFL right now. And more importantly, it reinforced a timeless football truth: market size doesn’t tackle, doesn’t block, and definitely doesn’t stop a well-prepared team from taking over your stadium.
If anything, Payton’s comment only added fuel to a Jaguars squad that clearly didn’t need extra motivation. Jacksonville showed up, executed, and left Denver with both a win and a viral soundbite.
Lesson learned? In the NFL, you’re better off worrying about matchups than market rankings — because the scoreboard doesn’t care how big your city is.
See More
- Gravity Took the Play Off: Kenneth Gainwell’s Insane Catch Leaves the Lions Frozen
- Vikings’ Flight Makes Emergency Landing Just After Taking Off for New York
- Eagles vs. Commanders: Late-Game Brawl Sees Three Players Ejected! (Video)
- Playoff Dreams Torn, Knee Destroyed — NFL Says ‘Nothing to See Here’
- OT Chaos in Chicago: DJ Moore’s Game-Winner Comes With a Mic-Drop for Green Bay
- Green Invasion: Washington’s Stadium Accidentally Turned Into Philly Territory (Video)
- Tua to the Bench, Shannon on the Mic — and the “Full-Blooded” Debate Takes Off!
- Rams Collapse, Ref Smiles, and Kelly Stafford’s Firestorm—NFL Drama Spills Straight onto Instagram (Video)
- One Wrong Step, and NFL Says “This Ain’t WWE” — Derick Hall Sidelined for a Game (Video)
- Seattle’s Secret Weapon! Rashid Shaheed Blazes 58-Yard Punt Return to Bring Seahawks Back to Life