EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 29: Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos looks on before a game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on September 29, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)Photo: Luke Hales / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images
The Denver Broncos stunned the New York Jets 10-9 to improve to 2-2. Below is the recap and postgame interviews from the game.
The Broncos won the toss and chose to defer to the 2nd half.
Aaron Rodgers and the Jets offense started with the ball but on the first snap, Justin Strnad came right up the middle unblocked and sacked the QB for an 8 yard loss. Two plays later, the defense forced a fumble and recovered the ball at the Jets 31 yard line.
Fantastic start to the game but the Jets defense was up to the task. After an offensive pass interference call against Troy Franklin, the offense couldn't recover and ended up punting it back to New York. Terrific special teams play by Marvin Mims as he downed the ball at the Jets one yard line to back New York up for their 2nd drive.
The Jets offense also couldn't do much against this stout Broncos defense and ended up not gaining a single yard, punting it back to Denver who would start their 2nd drive at their own 48 yard line with 10:57 remaining in the 1st quarter.
The offense tried to get something going with the run game and Tyler Badie but didn't get any movement and ended up losing a yard on a checkdown attempt to Badie, going 3 and out, sending it back to New York who started their 3rd drive at their own 20 yard line with 9:29 remaining in the 1st quarter.
The Jets, once again, couldn't get anything done on offense as Justin Strnad stuffed Breece Hall for a 2 yard loss and then a 3rd down pressure from Zach Allen forced an errant throw from Rodgers and New York went 3 and out, punting it back to Denver who would start their next drive at their 34 yard line.
Back to the ground game, Jaleel McLaughlin was able to gain 6 yards on his first carry but, once again, that was all the offense could muster as Denver would go 3 and out and punt it right back to New York who started their 4th drive from their 23 yard line with 6:14 remaining in the 1st quarter.
The biggest play of the game thus far came on a 9 yard completion to Jeremy Ruckert but on the next play Hall was tackle in the backfield for loss followed by a false start to make it a 3rd and 8. Zach Allen making his presence known, tackling Aaron Rodgers after just a 1 yard gain and New York punted it right back to Denver.
Marvin Mims was injured on the return after catch interference, setting Denver up at their 47 yard line. Alex P was called for hold on 1st down and the drive was mostly doomed from there. Nice scramble from Nix got it to 3rd and 12 but on the next play, Badie fumbled a check down pass that wasn't going anywhere anyway and the Jets were set up in at the Broncos 34 yard line.
On 3rd and 11, Riley Moss was called for pass interference in the end zone on Allen Lazard and it was suddenly 1st and goal at the 1 yard line for the Jets. The Broncos defense denied them on 1st and 2nd down as they closed out the 1st quarter. Aaron Rodgers had to throw it away on 3rd down and after a false start on 4th down, the Jets were forced to settle for a chip shot FG to take a 3-0 lead with 14:51 remaining in the 2nd quarter.
Broncos offense went 3 and out again, this time with Javonte Williams leading the RB committee because Tyler Badie was carted off the field with a back injury. Denver punts it right back to New York who started their next drive at the NY 24 yard line.
Jets leaning on their run game with Braelon Allen and they got a quick first down as they moved the ball to midfield. On 3rd down, Nik Bonitto sacked Aaron Rodgers and forced the Jets to punt and the Broncos would start their next drive at their own 27 yard line looking to try and get SOMETHING going on offense.
The Broncos offense FINALLY got something going on the ground as Javonte Williams rushed for 12 yards and then Jaleel McLaughling rushed for 10 yards on back to back plays. Sean Payton challenged an incomplete pass to Courtland was unsuccessful. On 3rd and 3 in Jets territory, Nix took a deep shot to Courtland that fell incomplete so a promising drive fizzled out and after a short punt, New York was back on offense at their own 15 yard line with 7:35 remaining in the 1st half.
On 3rd and 10, Aaron Rodgers scrambled for 12 yards to extend the drive but on the next 3rd down attempt, the Jets come up short and punted it back to the Broncos with 4:45 remaining in the 1st half.
Jaleel and Javonte got the Broncos another 1st down as they tried to work the clock and find some success on offense. On 3rd down and 8, Bo Nix's attempt to Humphrey fell incomplete and Denver punted the ball back to New York who would begin their next drive at their own 27 yard line with 1:47 remaining before halftime.
On the first play of the drive, Rodgers hit Allen Lazard for 25 yards and then on 3rd and 10, he hit him again for a 13 yard gain down to the Denver 35 yard line. Mike Williams came up with a toe tap catch down the right sideline to the 21 yard line. Jets would settle for a 35 yard field goal at the buzzer, extending their lead 6-0.
The Broncos started with the ball after halftime and got off to a hot start as Nix found Sutton for 22 yards on a crosser and Denver was quickly into Jets territory. Javonte was tackled for a 5 yard loss on the next play and the drive stalled at midfield.
After a punt, the Jets would start their first drive of the 2nd half from their own 6 yard line. A couple of nice completions to Allen and Williams seemed to get the Jets going but a couple of crucial penalties stalled an otherwise promising drive and New York punted it to the Broncos, who only trailed by 6 points.
From their own 13 yard line, Denver was called for a false start to begin their drive but were able to overcome it with a couple of really nice runs from Jaleel McLaughlin and Javonte Williams out to the 25 yard line. Nix found Sutton for a 27 yard gain over the middle and the Broncos were quickly to midfield and then a DPI against Humphrey got the Broncos into field goal range. Javonte and Jaleel kept the drive moving inside the Red Zone and on 3rd and 8, Bo Nix found Courtland Sutton in the back of the end zone for Nix's first touchdown pass of his career AND the lead, 7-6 with 3:08 remaining in the 3rd quarter.
The Jets, now trailing for the first time in the game, put together their best drive of the game with big chunk completions to Mike Williams, Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard though Lazard got called for an unsportsmanlike penalty that would've set New York up inside the Red Zone as the 3rd quarter came to an end. The Broncos defense was able to stall the Jets drive as the 4th quarter started and New York settled for a 40 yard field goal to regain the lead 9-7.
Broncos rushing game really got some momentum as Javonte Williams got two great runs to start the drive and Denver got to midfield in a hurry. Javonte added a 16 yard run and the Broncos were in field goal range. The drive stalled but Wil Lutz converted a 47-yard field goal to put Denver back in front 10-9 with 8:55 remaining in the game.
Aaron Rodgers and the Jets started their next drive at their own 27 yard line as the Broncos defense was hoping to get a stop. After their initial first down, Rodgers found Wilson at midfield and then quickly in Denver territory down to the Broncos 43 yard line on a keeper from Rodgers. On 3rd and 1, Malcolm Roach and Jonah Ellis combined for a sack on Rodgers that took them out of field goal range and he clearly fumbled it but Denver was out of timeouts.
The Broncos got the ball back after the punt at their 17 yard line but unfortunately went 3 and out, sending the ball back to New York with 2:31 remaining in the game and only trailing by 1 point. On 4th and 10, the Jets went for it and PJ Locke sacked Aaron Rodgers!
The Denver offense was unable to close out the game and Wil Lutz missed a 50 yard field goal attempt so New York got the ball back with 1:27 remaining in the game. Riley Moss was called for a huge DPI that set the Jets up in field goal range but Greg Zuerlein's 50 yard attempt also missed and the Broncos held on to win 10-9!!
The next broadcast will be on Sunday, October 6th as the Broncos return home to face the Las Vegas Raiders. Coverage on KOA begins at 8am.
Below are postgame interviews with Sean Payton, Bo Nix, and PJ Locke