It wasn’t easy, but the New York Jets earned a gutsy victory in Denver
It was as ugly as we expected, but the final score favored the New York Jets.
Despite earning only 10 first downs and 260 yards of offense, the Jets escaped the Rockies with a 16-9 victory over the Denver Broncos. Greg Zuerlein accounted for a majority of the metropolitan scoring. The Jets (5-2) have now won four games in a row for the first time since 2015.
Four consecutive punts opened the game before Breece Hall broke the doldrums in style with a 62-yard run to glory that gave the Jets a lead midway through the first quarter. It was a brilliant showcase for Hall before his afternoon ended early thanks to a knee injury he was quickly ruled unable to return from.
THERE GOES THAT MAN.@BreeceH 62 yards to the crib!!#NYJvsDEN on CBS pic.twitter.com/CbTJxGpRch
— New York Jets (@nyjets) October 23, 2022
Denver responded in turn with a 13-play, 75-yard scoring drive that ended with Latavius Murray’s score from two yards out. Brandon McManus’ missed extra point, however, allowed the Jets to briefly keep the lead, as did another triple miss from 56 yards out.
Latavius Murray puts the Broncos on the board. #BroncosCountry pic.twitter.com/Z7kd5KJU1Q
— uSTADIUM (@uSTADIUM) October 23, 2022
An eventual field goal conversion from McManus, this one from 44 yards away, eventually gave Denver the lead, but the Jets were able to regain the advantage thanks to a Zuerlein field goal as time expired in the opening half. It was the capper of a 10-play, 48-yard trek, by far their longest possession beyond the Hall run in the first two periods. Most of the yardage was obtained through a 37-yard aerial hook-up between Zach Wilson and Michael Carter.
1st and 25? No problem for Michael Carter. 💯
📺: #NYJvsDEN on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/FWWyCS9aA1 pic.twitter.com/acBzWgGCaM— NFL (@NFL) October 23, 2022
The Jets had a lead heading into halftime, but that lead proved costly. Besides Breece Hall, Corey Davis (knee) and Alijah Vera-Tucker (elbow) both went off the locker room in the first half and did not return to the field. Their status is currently unknown.
More punts awaited in the second half, but the Jets mixed some of theirs in with Zuerlein triples. The first, a 33-yard boot, was set up by a Lamarcus Joyner interception that was run back 25 yards.
LaMarcus Joyner comes away with the pick! 😤@NFL | #TakeFlightpic.twitter.com/SgRuUiN7OS
— FanSided (@FanSided) October 23, 2022
That 16-9 lead was enough to sustain the Jets until the very end. Rypien and the Broncos had one more opportunity to go the tying distance after stopping the Jets via three-and-out after the two-minute warning, but a D.J. Reed deflection seemed to land into the arms of C.J. Mosley, allowing New York to end the afternoon on a Rocky Mountain high. Though that call was overturned upon review, the Jets’ defense still managed to make one more stop to seal the deal.
Rypien finds CJ Mosley and the Jets move to 5-2. https://t.co/yb3Pm8TJ9I
— Main Team (@MainTeamSports2) October 23, 2022
The Jets will close out their pre-bye week slate with back-to-back divisional contests at home, the first a visit from the New England Patriots next Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
