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While it’s difficult to find an NFL pundit to give the New York Jets a chance against the Denver Broncos in its September 26 tilt at Empower Field at Mile Stadium, the Broncos should still be on high alert.
That’s because, “any given Sunday” is not just a fun and zany movie — it’s a way of life in this league. Upsets happen. Superior teams take lesser teams for granted. Early turnovers or key injuries swing the momentum in an instance, so the Broncos should come in ready to play from the onset.
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The stadium will have a full capacity for the first time since December 29, 2019, so it’s very likely that the rabid crowd will have an impact. But that’s only half the battle. The Broncos will still need to perform and not take the visitors lightly. A fast start is imperative — something the Broncos have failed to do in their first two wins of the season, also against inferior squads.
There are storylines to watch, as the Broncos look to get off to a 3-0 start for the first time since the 2016 season, when they were defending Super Bowl champions and began the campaign 4-0.
Fast Start is Key
Good teams put away the bad teams relatively fast, and the Broncos have been deemed a good team by the masses. But if judging by their first two games, they might not be there just yet. The September 12 season opener featured a 7-3 deficit against the New York Giants (0-2), until the Broncos woke up and tacked on 24 unanswered points to put away the game.
The following week, a sleepy 23-13 win at Jacksonville, featured the Jaguars (0-2) marching down the field on its opening series (an 11-play, 83-yard touchdown drive) resulting in a quick 7-0 lead. The Broncos again settled down, regrouped, and kept the frisky Jags at bay, but the start was less than desirable — particularly to head coach Vic Fangio.
Denver shouldn’t come into the Jets game as laxed, because first-time head coach, Robert Saleh, a Fangio disciple, is undoubtedly eager to knock off his mentor and earn his first-career win. Saleh is a fiery and passionate sideline stalker, who players around the league hold in high regard. If his Jets (0-2) are able to jump on the Broncos (2-0) early and squelch the 76,000-plus enthusiasts, it could be a long and dreary afternoon for Broncos Country.
No Looking Ahead Towards Baltimore
Many feel the Broncos’ first real test of the 2021 season won’t be until they host the Baltimore Ravens (1-1) in Week 4, October 3. Fangio has to make sure that no player is looking ahead.
Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater admitted as much during his September 22 post-practice press conference, noting that taking the Jets — or any opponent — for granted is “rat poison.”
“Honestly, man, you’ve just got to always respect the game. Respect the game and respect your opponent. There’s no such thing as overlooking an opponent because that team, they work extremely hard the same way we do,” Bridgewater said, adding that he received a text from a mentor espousing Fangio’s message. “Those constant reminders to stay grounded, respect the game, and continue to work hard because there’s always room for improvement. If you watch us, there’s definitely room for improvement. As long as we focus on us, make it about us, and just control the things that we can control, we should be able to go out on Sunday and play our best.”
Jets Aren’t as Bad as You Think
Yes, the Jets are winless, but a Saleh-coached team will never quit fighting. New York lost its September 12 opener, 19-14, to a team that is currently unbeaten, the Carolina Panthers (3-0). And they were in the ball game for a half against Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots, the following week, until disaster struck and Jets’ rookie quarterback Zach Wilson kept giving the ball away.
Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft, won’t be the one to carry the Jets to victory, as the Jets have struggled mightily on offense. New York ranks 31st in points per game, 30th in turnovers, and 26th in total yards. If they’re to upset the Broncos, it’ll be because he had great support from a defense that is actually good. They can certainly give Bridgewater’s offense fits, as the Broncos rank 23rd in both red-zone efficiency and third-down conversions. They also are 13th-ranked in scoring offense. The Jets’ defense, meanwhile, ranks third in third-down defense and second in red-zone defense, so it won’t be as easy a contest as many might expect.
Get in Wilson’s Head Early
Fangio, dubbed a “mad scientist” by safety Kareem Jackson, gets to play mind games with a rookie quarterback for the second-consecutive week. Historically, that’s been very profitable for the long-time defensive play caller, as he’s 19-9 against rookie quarterbacks.
The best ways to rattle a neophyte passer are complex coverages, which Fangio is known for, and a hellacious pass rush. The latter will be up to outside linebacker Von Miller, who won’t have the benefit of playing with his bookend, outside linebacker Bradley Chubb, who was placed no short-term IR. Chubb will be replaced in the starting lineup by Malik Reed, who notched a career-high eight sacks in 2020 when he filled in for Miller, who missed the entire campaign.
Miller, who leads the Broncos with three sacks, will be the catalyst for the defense. He’ll have a favorable matchup, going against veteran right tackle Morgan Moses. The veteran blocker has been thrust into his starting role after left tackle Mekhi Becton injured his knee in the season opener. That forced the Jets to move George Fant to left tackle and then bring Moses off the bench to man the right side — Miller’s side. Moses, who signed with the Jets in the 2021 offseason after making 96 consecutive starts for Washington (2015-20), will have his hands full.
Should the makeshift offensive line hold up against the reworked Broncos pass rush, Wilson will still have to contend with Fangio’s secondary. Even though they won’t have starting cornerback Ronald Darby (short-term IR), there’s still plenty of talent in the back-end, with veteran corners Bryce Callahan and Kyle Fuller and rookie Patrick Surtain II, and arguably the best safety tandem in the league of Justin Simmons and Jackson.
