A goal-line stand from first-and-goal at the 1 certainly mattered — a four-point swing in an eventual one-point game.
“That was huge,” defensive end Zach Allen said. “Obviously the ball’s on the less-than-1-yard line and to be able to do that — and to do it kind of two weeks in a row with Tampa, it speaks to us as a defense. Never give up.
“Then up front, the guys that we’re playing with are really playing at a high level and really bring the energy every day.”
The little things mattered just as much. A year ago the Jets rolled to 234 rushing yards against Denver at Empower Field.
On this day, which quickly turned into a weather-impacted slop-fest, New York managed just 64 yards on 23 carries, including 4 yards on 10 carries for Breece Hall.
“At halftime, as a head coach, I liked the way this game was going,” Payton said.
Even at the end, though, the defense needed just a little bit of help. Denver’s offense had mounted one scoring drive — an 11-play, 87-yard march capped by Bo Nix’s first career touchdown pass, an 8-yarder to Courtland Sutton — but failed to put the game away after Locke’s fourth-quarter sack. They went three-and-out and Wil Lutz missed from 50 yards to keep the score at 10-9
Rodgers moved the Jets into scoring range quickly but the Broncos defense stood up one more time and forced Greg Zuerlein into a 50-yard attempt, too.
No good. Ballgame.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Defense travels.
The past 10 days, Denver’s defense traveled a lot.
From Denver to Florida to West Virginia to New Jersey.
And now back home to the Front Range with a road sweep in the bag after a second straight dominating performance delivered a second straight upset win on the East Coast, this one a 10-9 Vance Joseph master class against the New York Jets.
“I thought Vance called a great game as he’s done all year,” inside linebacker Justin Strnad said after making his first start of the season. “He prepared us so well for this game and I can’t thank him enough.”
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Joseph’s group was humming from the first play and came through just about every time Denver needed it on a rainy, offensively challenged afternoon at MetLife Stadium.
Strnad came free and logged the first of five sacks against future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers on the game’s first play. That drive ended in a turnover when safety Brandon Jones punched the ball out from receiver Garrett Wilson on a short completion.
Neither team logged a first down until the second quarter, but the Broncos defense generated a decided edge in big plays, which helped tilt the field position in their favor. They sacked Rodgers three times in the first half and two more in the fourth quarter while protecting a 10-9 lead.
The last of the quintet was the biggest.
Joseph sparred with Rodgers from the sideline on the Jets’ penultimate drive, blitzing him on the first two plays after the two-minute warning — both incompletions — before showing pressure but only rushing four on third-and-10.
Rodgers, out of rhythm, threw another incompletion.
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Jets coach Robert Saleh kept the offense on the field and the Broncos defensive coordinator showed all-out blitz.
This time, they brought it. P.J. Locke stormed off Rodgers’ blind side and blasted him for a sack and turnover on downs.
“That’s one of them ones that, as soon as ‘V.J.’ called …read more
Source:: The Denver Post – Sports
