Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos held on to beat New York Jets in a defensive struggle on a wet afternoon, thanks to Nix’s first touchdown pass of the year to Courtland Sutton that put them ahead in the third quarter.
Broncos defense responded well, applying pressure and sacking Rodgers on fourth down late in the game. Greg Zuerlein missed a 50-yard field goal attempt but the Broncos held on to win by three points.
| Category | Team | Player | Attempts/Targets | Completions/Receptions | Yards | Average | Long | Touchdowns | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rushing | New York Jets | Breece Hall | 22 | – | 177 | 8.0 | 72t | 1 | – |
| Zach Wilson | 3 | – | 26 | 8.7 | 9 | 0 | – | ||
| Dalvin Cook | 6 | – | 23 | 3.8 | 9 | 0 | – | ||
| Denver Broncos | Jaleel McLaughlin | 9 | – | 68 | 7.6 | 38 | 0 | – | |
| Russell Wilson | 7 | – | 49 | 7.0 | 21 | 0 | – | ||
| Passing | New York Jets | Zach Wilson | 26 | 19 | 199 | 7.7 | 37 | 0 | 4 sacks, 1 interception |
| Denver Broncos | Russell Wilson | 31 | 20 | 196 | 6.3 | 29 | 2 | 4 sacks, 0 interception | |
| Receiving | New York Jets | Tyler Conklin | 5 | 4 | 67 | 16.8 | 37 | 0 | – |
| Garrett Wilson | 7 | 3 | 54 | 18.0 | 32 | 0 | – | ||
| Allen Lazard | 4 | 3 | 33 | 11.0 | 12 | 0 | – | ||
| Denver Broncos | Samaje Perine | 5 | 4 | 73 | 18.3 | 29 | 0 | – | |
| Jerry Jeudy | 7 | 6 | 50 | 8.3 | 23 | 0 | – | ||
| Adam Trautman | 5 | 4 | 26 | 6.5 | 12 | 1 | – | ||
| Interceptions | Denver Broncos | Pat Surtain | 1 | – | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| Punting | New York Jets | Thomas Morstead | 3 | – | 156 | 52.0 | 54 | 0 | – |
| Denver Broncos | Riley Dixon | 4 | – | 181 | 45.3 | 49 | 0 | – | |
| Punt Returns | New York Jets | Xavier Gipson | 2 | 1 (Fair Catch) | 14 | 7.0 | 14 | 0 | – |
| Denver Broncos | Marvin Mims | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | – | |
| Kickoff Returns | New York Jets | Xavier Gipson | 1 | 0 | 20 | 20.0 | 20 | 0 | – |
| Sacks | New York Jets | Defense (Team) | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 sacks on Russell Wilson |
Defensive Line
The defensive line serves as the first line of defense for any team. To be effective, its members must be agile and athletic enough to overcome offensive blockers while protecting teammates by shedding blocks or juking runners away from cutting back inside; such a move allows the defensive line to quickly get to the quarterback and put an end to run games.
This year, the Broncos have made great strides in improving their pass rush by signing free agent edge defenders to strengthen their pass rush and stop runs at once while simultaneously rushing the passer. With these players helping stop runs while also rush the passer, the Broncos stand a much greater chance at victory this season.
Nose tackle is another position requiring athleticism and speed. Nose tackles typically fall between defensive ends in size but must still be able to penetrate gaps quickly with other defenders while taking on double teams and creating pressure from outside.
Defensive coordinators often employ multiple fronts when it comes to defensive play, depending on the circumstances. One such front is known as the Wide 9 front; two defenders line up well outside their end-man and must penetrate and collapse an offensive guard’s inside shoulder space, known as an E gap, as part of this formation.
The “Heads’ Front is another popular defense option. Here, the nose tackle is aligned 0 technique over the center for easier reading in pistol backfield situations; thus allowing an effective defensive end and NT tandem to communicate what they’re doing in such scenarios.
Before betting on any game, it’s essential to carefully analyze both a defense’s pass rush and run stop win rate metrics. These measurements help isolate their performance from any outside factors like coverage sacks or missed offensive line assignments that can impact it, and compare strengths between different lines. Here’s an analysis of where both Jets and Broncos stand heading into Week 2.
Offensive Line
While skill position players often take center stage, an offensive line is where true fortunes of teams are decided. Evaluating an offensive line requires multiple individuals who work cohesively as one unit; an individual success won’t make a difference here like in other positions.
The Broncos invested heavily in their offensive line this offseason and it has paid dividends thus far. Center Joe Tippmann has been consistently solid, allowing only two sacks and 21 pressures out of 553 pass-blocking snaps this year. Guard Ben Powers (61.7 PFF grade) and tackle Mike McGlinchey (66.5 PFF grade) have both excelled in their new roles; both possess excellent run blocking skills – which makes for an efficient O-line unit.
In the second quarter, the Jets attempted to tie up the game by driving downfield towards Denver; but after failing to convert a third down, they had no option but to punt back out and allow Denver time to control the clock from their 31.
On the subsequent play, Quincy Williams sacked Rodgers for a loss of four yards and appeared to cause him considerable discomfort; Rodgers appeared visibly shaken up, seemingly favoring his left leg which had been injured last season when running into an opposing player; Michael Carter II recovered the fumble recovered by Quincy Williams.
With less than one minute remaining, the Jets were trying to move into field goal range for their victory. A first down would have sealed it; however, Rex Ryan called a running play and Mekhi Becton shoved 305-pound defensive tackle Corey Peters backward into his own end zone for an effective drive block that allowed Powell to gain an initial first down.
Becton made an important play as part of an offense that had lost two of their main offensive linemen to injury earlier in the year – Brian Winters and Alijah Vera-Tucker were replaced, yet Becton has made the most out of every opportunity he’s been given thus far, becoming key contributors in their strong finish against Denver and should remain an invaluable member of their roster going forward.
Linebackers
Linebackers are essential members of any defense. They must be capable of identifying offensive formations and tendencies as well as possessing exceptional pass coverage skills. Furthermore, linebackers must work as a cohesive unit so all their teammates are playing to their strengths; communicating with coaches to understand different offensive plays and formations should also be key components.
Bo Nix leads the Broncos’ offense, racking up 624 yards and five touchdowns through three games this season. His targets include wide receivers Courtland Sutton and Javonte Williams; however, their defensive line has struggled with stopping opposing rushers this year.
Nix will be put through his paces by a Jets team that boasts one of the league’s highest third down conversion rates, but their aggressive defense may make it hard for them to settle into their rhythm.
Though Denver’s run defense has been solid this season, their pass defense still needs improvement. They rank 31st among NFL tight ends and their pass coverage can vary widely; hopefully these issues can be addressed against a struggling New York offense.
The Jets defensive line has been hit hard by injuries, leading them to post sack numbers below average and lacking depth at safety where tight ends and deep threats pose threats. Recently they have added depth at this position though.
C.J. Mosley has become an essential piece of the Jets secondary thanks to his incredible pass coverage skills, being an adept reader of games and running audibles with other members of defense – making him invaluable as part of its defense unit. Although his tackling numbers aren’t great, Mosley boasts two interceptions and four pass breakups making him an invaluable part of team defense.
Weather will undoubtedly have an impactful role in Sunday’s game, as forecasted rainfall and temperatures of approximately 63 degrees Fahrenheit could hinder both rushing and passing game strategies, since wet conditions tend to favor run-heavy game plans. Furthermore, wind speeds of 7mph could negatively influence kickoff and punting attempts.
Quarterbacks
Once the Jets defeated their Patriots nemesis last week, more fans are beginning to believe this team can compete at a high level. Now comes this Sunday’s home matchup against Denver; victory would give New York a 2-0 record and provide a huge boost towards reaching playoff contention. If they can take care of business without suffering another letdown against Denver then even more fans might start believing.
The Broncos have had one of the league’s premier offenses this season, yet their play faltered against New York Jets on Sunday afternoon. Bo Nix was limited to only 7 passing yards in the first half despite 15 attempts, failing to complete more than two passes on three attempts. He eventually rebounded by making adjustments during the second half and leading Denver on an 87-yard drive that culminated with Courtland Sutton receiving a touchdown pass from Bo Nix, as well as forcing Jason Myers of New York to fumble the ball away during that drive – an impressive feat in itself given his usual prowess against opponents this time around!
Nix’s wise decisions helped his team cap an 81-yard drive with another touchdown late in the third quarter, and their defense limited the Jets offense to only one point after halftime; and special teams performed admirably – with Wil Lutz making all three field goal attempts, while Greg Zuerlein missing one 50-yarder at regulation’s end, giving Denver their win.
Weather forecasts predict temperatures in the low 70s with light rain expected. Under such conditions, running may become a more significant aspect of game play for the Broncos due to their impressive running statistics; on the other hand, rain might disrupt kicking and passing statistics, leading to tight games overall.