The Jets visit the Broncos on Sunday in a matchup of 1-3 teams trying to gain some traction. This is a battle of the Wilson quarterbacks. Zach Wilson is coming off perhaps his best game as a pro and Russell Wilson is enjoying a resurgence this season. The matchup got spicy this summer when new Broncos head coach Sean Payton publicly trashed his predecessor Nathaniel Hackett, who is now the Jets offensive coordinator for the work he and his staff did in Denver last season particularly as it pertained to Wilson. Payton later said he regretted saying what he did.
Kickoff is 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday.
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Who: Broncos vs. Jets
When: Sunday, Sept. 8, 4:25 p.m. ET
Where: Empower Field at Mile High
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Jets’ Zach Wilson looks to keep playing loose and confident after his impressive outing vs. Chiefs
By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. AP Pro Football Writer
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Maybe it was Zach Wilson’s headband.
The New York Jets quarterback scrapped his signature look last Sunday and went out and had arguably the best overall game of his brief NFL career.
“As the weather starts to cool down a little bit, I feel like I don’t need it as much,” a smiling Wilson said Thursday. “I brought it back out these last two practices, but it’s slowly going away.”
It’s a matter of function, not fashion, Wilson insists, to keep the sweat out of his eyes. But headband or not under his helmet, Wilson went from being vilified last week by frustrated fans and critical media as a hopeless case to being praised for his playmaking and potential as a piece of the Jets’ future in the span of four quarters.
“Yeah, just playing loose, playing free, momentum being on our side, getting drives going,” Wilson said.
Sudden success can do that for a player. The key is capitalizing on it and doing it again.
That’s what Wilson is facing Sunday when he takes on the Broncos and their struggling defense in Denver.
“He’s done a great job blocking everything out and continually growing as a quarterback within the system,” offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett said. “I appreciate that about him and he knows that he has a lot more to give and we’re just going to continue developing.”
In the Jets’ 23-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Wilson set a personal high with 28 completions while throwing for 245 yards and two touchdowns with a 2-point conversion run and a career-best 105.2 quarterback rating.
Despite that production, Wilson was disappointed after the game for fumbling away a snap that Kansas City turned into a game-sealing drive. He told his teammates the loss was on him and echoed that when he spoke to reporters.
“I think that growth is one of the most exciting things in football, is feeling improvement as an offense, individually (and) all the guys around,” Wilson said. “So for me, it really comes down to how can I have been better in that game? Yes, there was good things, but how can I take the things that would have helped us be even better?
“We didn’t win the game, so everyone needs to find those little things of how we can be better. And I absolutely found those things. So I do think there is excitement to say I can’t wait to try those again this next week and try to fix those things and reapply those things for the next week.”
Otherwise, the doubters and critics will be back in full force.
Wilson understands that’s the fickle nature of sports and fandom, but he has also made a habit of tuning out the noise outside the facility.
“I think the great thing about that game was as good as everybody was saying that he did, he knows how much better he can be,” Hackett said. “I think that’s always great. You always want to grow in this game. … I think it’s one of those things that he looks back at and goes, ‘Wow, look at all these other opportunities I had, and I played good.’
“I think for him it’s just continually growing. Don’t get too excited, don’t get too upset and stay the same and keep developing.”
The 24-year-old Wilson simply looked different against the Chiefs. He outplayed Patrick Mahomes for much of the game and was making the type of plays the Jets have seen only in flashes in Wilson’s two-plus seasons.
“What I was feeling out there was similar to what I feel like I’ve been feeling since OTAs,” Wilson said. “So I think it felt good to be able to finally bring something from practice and the rhythm, the momentum, getting first downs. And this isn’t just me, it’s the whole offense together. Being able to move the ball that way I think felt awesome.
“And that’s something that needs to be the standard to do every week.”
As far as his headband, well, that’ll be a game-time decision in Denver.
“Yeah, we’ll see,” Wilson said with a laugh. “Maybe I’ll wear it this week, I don’t know. I’m not superstitious like that.”
NOTES: CBs D.J. Reed (concussion) and Brandin Echols (hamstring) and LB Samuel Eguavoen (ankle) didn’t practice for the second straight day. … S Tony Adams (hamstring) was a full participant and on track to play after missing two games. … The Jets signed OL Xavier Newman to the practice squad and released OL Adam Pankey from the practice squad. Newman was waived by Tennessee on Monday. He was signed by the Titans last year as an undrafted free agent out of Baylor and has experience with current Jets offensive line coach Keith Carter.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Wilson QB battle highlights Jets-Broncos matchup that got spicy after Payton’s ridicule of Hackett
By The Associated Press undefined
NEW YORK JETS (1-3) at DENVER (1-3)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT, CBS
BETTING LINE: Broncos by 1 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook
AGAINST THE SPREAD: New York Jets 2-2; Denver 0-3-1
SERIES RECORD: Broncos lead 21-17-1.
LAST MEETING: Jets beat Broncos 16-9 on Oct. 23, 2022, in Denver.
LAST WEEK: Jets lost to Kansas City 23-20; Broncos won at Chicago 31-28.
JETS OFFENSE: OVERALL (30), RUSH (20T), PASS (31), SCORING (25T)
JETS DEFENSE: OVERALL (23T), RUSH (28), PASS (16), SCORING (14)
BRONCOS OFFENSE: OVERALL (14), RUSH (20T), PASS (10), SCORING (10T)
BRONCOS DEFENSE: OVERALL (32), RUSH (32), PASS (31), SCORING (32)
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Jets even; Broncos minus-2.
JETS PLAYER TO WATCH: QB Zach Wilson. The embattled Wilson had perhaps the best game of his NFL career against the Chiefs, completing a career-high 28 passes including two for TDs with a personal-best 105.2 passer rating. That came after a week filled with heavy criticism as fans, including Hall of Famer Joe Namath, called for Wilson to be benched. If Wilson can have another solid performance, it could go a long way in the Jets — and their fans — feeling more confident with him under center with Aaron Rodgers out with a torn left Achilles tendon.
BRONCOS PLAYER TO WATCH: OLB Nik Bonitto. The second-year pro supplanted an ineffective Randy Gregory last week at Chicago and had 2 1/2 sacks, two tackles for loss and two quarterback hits. He came up the biggest in the fourth quarter with a strip-sack of Justin Fields that led to Jonathon Cooper’s scoop-and-score touchdown that tied the game the Broncos went on to win. On Wednesday, the Broncos parted ways with Gregory just 18 months after he signed a five-year, $70 million contract. Gregory had just three sacks in 10 games for Denver, which Bonitto almost matched in his first start of 2023.
KEY INJURIES: Jets CB D.J. Reed was in the concussion protocol to start the week, but coach Robert Saleh was optimistic about Reed’s chances of playing. … Backup CB Brandin Echols is out with a hamstring injury. … S Tony Adams (hamstring) could return after missing the past two games. … Denver S Justin Simmons (hip) is hopeful to return after missing the past two games and watching his defense allow 98 points during his absence. Both Frank Clark (hip) and Baron Browning (knee) practiced this week, but aren’t expected to return against the Jets. RB Javonte Williams (hip) is sidelined and that creates an opportunity to get rookie speedster Jaleel McLaughlin more snaps.
SERIES NOTES: The highlight, at least for Denver, was the 1998 AFC championship. After falling behind 10-0, John Elway led the Broncos to 20 third-quarter points and the defense forced a half dozen Jets turnovers in a 23-20 win that propelled the Broncos to a second straight Super Bowl win in Elway’s farewell game, 34-19 over Atlanta in Super Bowl 33. Both franchises have fallen on hard times of late. The Jets own the longest playoff drought in the NFL, having last made the postseason party in 2010. The Broncos own the second-longest drought. They haven’t reached the playoffs since winning Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7, 2016.
STATS AND STUFF: The Jets are looking to avoid a four-game losing streak. They have lost nine of their past 10 games going back to last season. … After entering last week going 8 for 37 on third down — a 22% conversion rate that ranked last in the NFL — the Jets went 5 for 12 against the Chiefs. … RB Breece Hall returns to Denver, where he suffered a torn ACL nearly a year ago and had his promising rookie season end. Hall has bounced back in limited carries so far this season and has already become the first Jets player with two runs of 40 or more yards in a season since Isaiah Crowell in 2018. … WR Garrett Wilson has 104 receptions in 21 games, reaching the 100-catch milestone faster than anyone in team history. Wayne Chrebet did it in 23 games. … WR Xavier Gipson became the 14th player in Jets history and the seventh rookie to have at least one kickoff return, one punt return, one reception and one rush in a single game. … LB Quincy Williams had 13 tackles against Kansas City, joining Marcus Maye (2020) as the only players in team history with 10 or more tackles, two tackles for loss, two passes defensed and a quarterback hit in a game. … The Jets haven’t allowed a second-half touchdown since Week 16 of last season, a span of seven games that ties Cincinnati (2022) for the longest streak since 2000. … New York ranks first in the NFL in red zone defense, having allowed just three touchdowns in 12 opposing red zone possessions. … QB Russell Wilson is enjoying a bounce-back season after a career-worst year under former head coach Nathaniel Hackett, who returns to Denver as the Jets’ offensive coordinator Sunday. … The matchup got spicy when Broncos new head coach Sean Payton disparaged Hackett in an interview in July in which he criticized his predecessor for one of the worst coaching jobs in league history. Hackett was fired after going 4-11 last season and quickly landed in New York, where he was a big reason the Jets lured Aaron Rodgers, who got hurt minutes into his Jets debut. … The Broncos’ 21-point second-half comeback at Chicago last week is tied for the biggest comeback in the NFL this season (New York Giants vs. Arizona in Week 2). … With his 32nd fourth-quarter comeback, QB Russell Wilson moved into the top 10 in league history. … Wilson’s nine TD passes are just seven shy of the number he had all of last season and he is one of two QBs (Brock Purdy) to have a 105.0 or higher passing rating in three games so far. … Wilson is 3-0 against the Jets with nine TDs, one INT and a 132.6 passer rating. … RB Jaleel McLauglin had 133 scrimmage yards last week. … WR Courtland Sutton is one of four players to catch a TD pass in three of the first four games. His three TD receptions are his most since 2019. … S Kareem Jackson had eight tackles and a game-sealing interception at Chicago after illegal hits in each of Denver’s first three wins led to a trio of fines totaling $45,961.
FANTASY TIP: Jets RB Breece Hall leads the Jets with 210 yards rushing on 32 carries. It was at Denver last season that Hall’s sensational rookie season came to a premature end with a torn left ACL in the midst of a big game. He had 72 yards on four carries, including a 62-yard touchdown scamper when he got hurt. Coach Robert Saleh said Hall has no more snap limits, so expect the Jets to cut him loose against the league’s worst run defense.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Broncos aren’t basking in victory and know they can’t stay sloppy with tough schedule ahead
By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Winning does not cure all ills in the view of Sean Payton, who isn’t about to let the Denver Broncos feel too good about themselves after his first win as their coach.
Beating the sad-sack Chicago Bears 31-28 on Sunday sure beats giving up 10 touchdowns in a 50-point loss at Miami a week earlier, but the celebration was muted when the Broncos watched the video Monday and found that the blunders exceeded the highlights.
Denver only allowed one sack, but guard Ben Powers was the only O-lineman who didn’t get flagged as the Broncos committed five false starts.
Russell Wilson had his best passer rating as a Bronco, but the offense went into sleep mode for much of the game between an opening-drive touchdown and Denver rattling off 24 unanswered points to edge a team that hasn’t won since last October.
Denver’s much-maligned defense allowed both a 100-yard rusher and a 100-yard receiver for the second straight week and allowed Justin Fields to record his first career 300-yard, four-touchdown game before coming up with two takeaways in the fourth quarter.
“I said this to the team just 15 minutes ago, I said, ‘Look, I’m encouraged. We fought back into that game. But man, let’s not … feel like we’re content at all with how we played,’” Payton said Monday. “There are too many things that still are disappointing or things that we have to clean up” both defensively and offensively.
“We stalled there after the first touchdown. We went a third of the game struggling,” Payton said. “But that sense of urgency has to exist again this week. We’re going to play against a lot better teams here in the next month, month and a half.”
That stretch begins with a visit from the New York Jets, who made Patrick Mahomes look ordinary Sunday night and who are still chafed over Payton’s disparaging remarks about them and their offensive coordinator, former Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett, over the summer.
After the upcoming grudge match, Denver faces its nemesis, the Kansas City Chiefs, twice, sandwiched around a game against Green Bay. The Broncos haven’t beaten the Chiefs since Week 2 of the 2015 season.
Falling behind by 21, drawing so many whistles, getting gashed up the middle and burned in the injury-riddled secondary are all things that could spell doom against better competition.
“I think it was great pulling out that win, it shows that we don’t have no quit in us,” running back Jaleel McLaughlin said. “But there’s a lot of things that we have to clean up on the tape.”
WHAT’S WORKING
Wilson. He has nine touchdown passes and two interceptions through four games. Last year, it took until Week 14 for him to throw his ninth TD pass. His 133.5 passer rating Sunday was his best as a Bronco.
WHAT NEEDS WORK
Stopping the run. Although linebacker Alex Singleton made the play of the day by shooting the gap to stuff Khalil Herbert on fourth-and-1 from the Denver 18 in the closing minutes, the Broncos aren’t sound enough along the defensive front.
STOCK UP
Starting in place of Randy Gregory, second-year linebacker Nik Bonitto had 2 1/2 sacks, including a strip-sack that led to Jonathan Cooper’s scoop-and-score for the game-tying touchdown. He also had two tackles for loss and two quarterback hits.
“Nik’s definitely a big-time player for us,” defensive end Zach Allen said. “He’s an elite rusher. He has all the athletic ability in the world. I haven’t played with someone like that since I played with Haason Reddick. I think they’re very similar players. So, he’s growing, still learning, so it’s exciting to see where he’ll be.”
STOCK DOWN
Gregory. He had three tackles in 33 snaps Sunday, better than the zeros he put up in 34 snaps at Miami, but that’s not the production everyone expected when general manager George Payton signed him to a five-year, $70 million contract last year.
INJURIES
RB Javonte Williams (hip) got hurt Sunday, opening the door for McLaughlin, who led the team with 72 yards on just seven carries (a 10.3-yard average) and had three catches for 32 yards, including an 18-yard score.
KEY NUMBERS
24 — The Broncos’ run of unanswered points to rally from a 28-7 deficit. That’s tied for the second-biggest comeback in franchise history behind only their 24-point comeback to beat the Chargers on Oct. 15, 2012.
32 — The number of career fourth-quarter comebacks by Wilson, moving him into the top 10 and surpassing Joe Montana and Eli Manning at 31.
NEXT STEPS
After surviving the Basement Battle and avoiding an 0-4 start, the Broncos host the Jets (1-3) on Sunday in a showdown spiced up by Payton calling the coaching job Hackett and his staff did in Denver last year one of the worst in NFL history.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
