Linebacker Alex Singleton laid out what the Broncos must do to finish the regular season.

“That’s it, win two games,’’ he said.

The Broncos’ road toward winning the AFC West and getting the No. 1 seed for the AFC playoff race got much more difficult after they lost 34-20 to Jacksonville on Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High.

The loss ended an 11-game winning streak by the Broncos and a 12-game home winning streak. Linebacker Alex Singleton called their play Sunday “embarrassing,” but expressed confidence they will bounce back.

“We’ve got two games to do it to be the number one seed in the AFC,” Singleton said. “We got to move on from (Sunday’s loss). … There’s nothing better than a short week to flush stuff and go play another game.”

The Broncos play on Christmas night at Kansas City. The Chiefs are down to third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun after injuries to starter Patrick Mahomes and backup Gardner Minshew.

Nevertheless, a win at Kansas City and a loss in the regular-season finale on Jan. 3 or 4 to the Los Angeles Chargers could result in the Broncos not winning the AFC West and going on the road to start the playoffs.  The Chargers (11-4) won 34-17 Sunday at Dallas to move within one game of Denver in the division race.

If the Chargers defeat the Texans at home on Saturday, they would be assured of facing the Broncos in the finale in a showdown for the AFC West title. The Chargers beat the Broncos 23-20 at home Sept. 21, which was Denver’s last loss. So another win would give the Chargers a possible tiebreaker.

Even if the AFC West is settled in Week 17 with the Broncos defeating the Chiefs and the Chargers losing to the Texans, Denver still might need to defeat the Chargers in Week 18 to secure the No. 1 seed. Also in the mix for the top seed then could be New England (12-3), Jacksonville (11-4), Buffalo (11-4) and the Chargers. At least the Broncos are assured of winning a one-on-one tiebreaker with the Patriots.

“The only outlook is forward,’’ said Broncos tackle Mike McGlinchey. “We can control what we can control over these next two weeks and find ways to win ball games and find ways to get better as we go down the stretch here and into the playoffs.”

McGlinchey said it is at least a “positive” that the Broncos put themselves in good position with their 11-game winning streak, even though “it doesn’t feel that way right now.”

Bryant, Greenlaw among injured Broncos

Injuries are mounting for the Broncos.

On the penultimate play Sunday, wide receiver Pat Bryant was hurt when hit hard by Montaric Brown on an incompletion from Bo Nix. A penalty flag was thrown but officials picked it up, ruling Bryant was not hit in the head or neck area.

Bryant was down on the field for several minutes with players gathered around him. He was immobilized on a board and taken off the field on a cart and by ambulance to a local hospital before being released with what a source said was a concussion. Broncos coach Sean Payton said after the game Bryant was “moving his hands and legs” and “that’s encouraging.”

“It was obviously very scary,” McGlinchey said after the game about when Bryant was hurt.

Late in the fourth quarter, linebacker Dre Greenlaw was lost with a hamstring injury and was limping after the game. With the Broncos playing the Chiefs on a short week, it remains to be seen if he will be able to play then.

The Broncos were shorthanded at linebacker Sunday with top reserve Justin Strnad out after suffering a foot injury Dec. 14 against Green Bay. It is uncertain whether Strnad will be able to play at Kansas City.

If both Greenlaw and Strnad are out, it could leave rookie Jordan Turner or rookie Karene Reid as a starting linebacker. Reid is on injured reserve but was designated to return last Wednesday.

The Broncos lost tight end Nate Adkins for the game in the second quarter with a knee injury. He had missed five of the previous six games with a knee injury.

The Broncos also lost in the second quarter safety Delarrin Turner-Yell with a knee injury. Turner-Yell was elevated from the practice squad Saturday and played in his first regular-season game since he suffered a torn ACL on Dec. 31, 2023, against the Chargers.

Palczewski, Powers split reps

The Broncos rotated Alex Palczewski and Ben Powers throughout the game at left guard.

Powers, the starter before missing nine games after suffering a torn biceps muscle Oct. 5 at Philadelphia and having surgery, was activated Saturday off injured reserve. Palczewski started against the Jaguars but ended up splitting series with Powers. Payton had said he would be easing Powers back into the lineup.

“It’s been eight weeks, two months, of mental preparation, and I’m ready,’’ Powers said after the game.

Denver’s offensive line spent most of the game pass blocking. Nix dropped back to pass 48 times and the Broncos ran the ball 17 times for 101 yards.

RJ Harvey had seven carries for 50 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Jaleel McLaughlin had 25 yards on his first two carries but got just three more attempts after that and finished with 37 yards.

Briefly

The Jaguars were 8 of 14 on third-down conversions while the Broncos were 5 of 14. “We weren’t able to convert on third down, which kind of hurt us,’’ said wide receiver Courtland Sutton, who did have six catches for 86 yards and a touchdown. … Broncos tight end Evan Engram, who played the past three seasons for the Jaguars, lauded their showing. “They played great, on all cylinders, and they were the better team,’’ he said. … Defensive lineman Zach Allen lamented the Broncos’ many missed tackles. “We didn’t tackle,’’ Allen said. “We didn’t execute on defense.” … The Broncos did have five sacks of Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence to give them an NFL-most 63. Two were by John Franklin-Myers, who has 7.5 this season to top his career high of 7.0 set last year. … Inactive for the Broncos were Strnad, quarterback Sam Ehlinger, running back Cody Schrader, cornerback Reese Taylor, tackle Geron Christian and defensive linemen Jordan Jackson and Sai’vion Jones.