After ugly 10-9 victory over the Jets, returning home with two straight road wins sure looks good for Broncos

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J – Odds are the Broncos will be back in West Virginia next season.

Between games on Sept. 22 at Tampa Bay and Sunday at the New York Jets, Denver spent a week practicing at The Greenbrier, a beautiful resort. And while there was nothing beautiful about the 10-9 win over the Jets on a rainy day at MetLife Stadium, the Broncos (2-2) returned home with two straight road wins.

“I’ve got no words for how proud I am,’’ said linebacker Jonathon Cooper.

Then Cooper came up with some words.

“Everybody played hard,’’ he said. “Everybody played together. Everybody kept their energy up. That was a great team win. I’m so happy for my dudes. I’m so happy for my brothers.’’

The win was secured when Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein missed a 50-yard field goal wide right with 47 seconds left in the game. That followed Wil Lutz, who had been 10 of 10 this season on field goals, missing a 50-yarder wide left that could have put Denver up 13-9 with 1:27 remaining.

“Super happy,’’ said Broncos defensive and John Franklin-Myers, who played the past five seasons with the Jets, said of when victory was secured.

For much of the game, it was a defensive struggle or a futile display on offense, depending upon your perspective. The Broncos sacked quarterback Aaron Rodgers five times and didn’t allow the Jets to get into the end zone.

At halftime, the Jets (2-2) led 6-0 and the Broncos had just 46 yards of total offense. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix in the first half completed 7 of 15 passes for minus-7 yards. Yes, minus-7.

But in the second half, after the rain from the first half had subsided, the Broncos finally got some offense going, getting 140 yards. Nix had 67 yards passing after intermission to finish 12 of 25 for 60 yards with his first career touchdown pass and no turnovers.

Denver got 73 yards on the ground in the second half, including 53 of the 77 Javonte Williams had on the game. He broke out of a prolonged slump and averaged 4.8 yards per carry after he had averaged 2.2 in the first three games.

“Obviously, a gritty win,’’ said Broncos coach Sean Payton. “Man, I’m proud of how we fought. You don’t know sometimes how games unfold. I don’t know that either team expected the weather to impact the game like it did that much in the first half. But nonetheless, a good team that we played, and we fought hard.”

There was a scary moment late in the first quarter when running back Tyler Badie was hit hard by Jets linebacker Quincy Williams and lost a fumble. He was taken off the field on a board on a cart and soon was ruled out with a back injury.

Payton declined to talk about Badie’s health after the game. Williams said Badie was “on the ground crying,’’ but he said running backs coach Lou Ayeni offered some positive news after the game.

“Coach Lou told us that he would be all right, so I don't think it's really anything (serious)." Williams told The Denver Gazette.

As for his running, Williams said it was needed.

“It was huge just getting back out there and feeling the same,’’ Williams said. “Feeling like the old days. Anything I can do to help the team, that’s always what I’m trying to do.”

The Broncos also got 46 yards on nine carries from Jaleel McLaughlin. And while Nix struggled, he did make some timely throws to Courtland Sutton, who had three catches for 60 yards. Denver’s other receivers combined for nine catches for zero yards.

“When it rains like that, for that long period of time, it’s hard to get new dry footballs out there,’’ Nix said. “But that’s how it’s gonna be. They were having to do the same thing. … Then we got a few third-down completions. …. (Sutton) played like a vet and that’s what we expect out of Court.”

Late in the third quarter, with Denver down 6-0, Nix hit Sutton for 29 yards on third-and-11, taking the ball to the Jets 47. Later in that drive, Nix found Sutton in the end zone for his first career touchdown pass, an 8-yard strike.

The Jets took a 9-7 lead on a 40-yard field goal by Zuerlein, his third on the day, with 13:34 remaining in the game. Lutz then gave the Broncos the lead for good at 10-9 on a 47-yard field goal with 8:55 remaining.

That proved to be enough points for Denver’s defense. The Broncos held the Jets to 248 yards of total offense while Rodgers completed a pedestrian 24 of 42 passes for 225 yards.

Rodgers was sacked on the game’s first play by linebacker Justin Strnad, who played his first defensive snaps since Oct. 31, 2021, against Washington. He replaced Alex Singleton, who was lost for the season with a torn ACL suffered in the 26-7 win at Tampa Bay.

Also getting sacks for the Broncos were Franklin-Myers, outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, safety P.J. Locke and defensive lineman Malcolm Roach and outside linebacker Jonah Elliss shared one.

“You might go another 20 games before you see that happen to him,’’ Payton said Rodgers going down five times. “That was part of the success today.”

Locke’s 10-yard sack on a safety blitz came with 1:46 left in the game when the Jets had fourth-and-10 at their 45.

“I had a clean shot,’’ Locke said. “So, it was a great call by (defensive coordinator Vance Joseph).’’

Overall, Locke said it was a good experience being away from Denver for nine days even though he wants “to get home to some sunlight.” He said the team was able to bond, which included most of the time spent in rainy West Virginia.

“Coach Payton just kept telling us these two road games are going to define us as a team not for the season but just creating an identity for ourselves, figuring out what our identity is,’’ Locke said. “And to come back home with two wins, it’s awesome.”

Denver next season will have four games in the Eastern Time Zone. If the Broncos successfully petition the league to have two of them in a row, which is what they did this year, count on them being back at The Greenbrier.