The Jets gave the Broncos a chance to score a comeback win by turning the ball over, but their defense ensured Denver’s attempt ended sadly.
Linebacker Quincy Williams knocked the ball out of the hands of Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson on a sack with less than a minute to play, and cornerback Bryce Hall snatched it for a 39-yard touchdown. The game put the finishing touches on a 31-21 win that moves the Jets to 2-3 on the season.
Williams had another sack early in the final drive and his big plays helped make Zach Wilson’s only interception of the day an afterthought. With the Jets at the 27-yard line just before the two-minute warning, Wilson attempted to hit wide receiver Garrett Wilson with a deep pass. However, cornerback Pat Surtain II was able to intercept the ball and the Broncos took over at the 4-yard line.
However, the chance wouldn’t pay off and the Broncos are 1-4. Head coach Sean Payton looked at Wilson angrily for not getting rid of the ball before Williams’ score, and the loss was made all the more painful by Payton’s comments over the summer that got Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett’s job as Broncos head coach last year criticized. At this point, Hackett was 2-3 last season, and the Broncos appear to be no closer to keeping up under Payton than they did under Hackett.
Russell Wilson was 20 of 31 for 196 yards and was sacked four times during the game. Much of Wilson’s running came from short passes that running backs Jaleel McLaughlin and Samaje Perine turned into big gains, including a 22-yard touchdown by McLaughlin in the first half. He threw the ball downfield more often later in the game, but Denver didn’t seem to want that from him.
The Broncos will look to make a quick turnaround before facing the Chiefs on Thursday night. Another loss in this game will likely spark conversations about what changes need to be made to accelerate Payton’s expected turnaround.
Sunday was another good second half for Zach Wilson as he went 7 of 8 for 107 yards before the interception. The Jets trailed 13-8 at halftime, but scored 16 straight points to take the lead.
Running back Breece Hall played a big part in that, scoring a 72-yard touchdown and finishing the day with 22 carries for 177 yards. The Jets had 150 rushing yards in the final 30 minutes and will look to start faster in next Sunday’s game against the Eagles.