Pat Surtain II Sounds Off on Shutting Down Jets WR Garrett Wilson

Pat Surtain II benefited from a ferocious pass rush vs. the New York Jets, but he shut down wide receiver Garrett Wilson.

Oct 12, 2025; Tottenham, United Kingdom; Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) is interviewed by NFL Network reporter Sara Walsh after an NFL International Series game against the New York Jets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

After barely edging out the New York Jets on Sunday, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton suggested there was much to gain from proving they can win a close one. Putting games away in the clutch has been something the Broncos' defense has struggled to do since Vance Joseph became defensive coordinator, but that worm seems to have turned in consecutive weeks. 

The Broncos' confidence levels are now riding high, and those late defensive stumbles are hopefully a thing of the past, especially for a group that's been terrorizing opposition quarterbacks. 

All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II is leading the way on the back end once again, but he appreciates how the Broncos' ferocious pass rush is setting the tone this season. Denver tied a single-game franchise record in London, sacking Jets quarterback Justin Fields nine times.

"It was honestly pretty crazy. It was like I was sitting back watching, being a fan of it, you know what I mean? Because we're covering. It's barely one or two seconds, I look up, [and] there's a sack. So, it's a pleasure to be part of. " 

Surtain brings a competitive disposition to his job description, and he never backs down from a challenge. It served the decorated defender well in his coverage assignment against Jets' receiver Garrett Wilson on Sunday, who only caught one ball for four yards when matched up with Surtain, though he was injured in the game. 

Against Denver last season at MetLife Stadium with Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback, Wilson had five receptions but only totaled 41 yards. Exiting the London tilt, subsequent news crept out from the Jets camp that Wilson hyperextended his knee vs. the Broncos and will miss some time, but Surtain was in no mood to show any mercy. 

"It's hard to get a rhythm, obviously, with the pressure we generate and the coverage we have," Surtain said. "But I saw instances he was a little hurt a little bit, and throughout the game, [he] seemed like he was grabbing his ribs or something. But yeah, I just think that collectively as a unit, we try to create pressure and create frustration amongst their best players." 

Knocking the opponent completely out of rhythm usually equals winning football at any level — just ask Fields, Wilson, and the Jets. Surtain is tuned into the communication frequencies his unit can scramble and block, and the reigning Defensive Player of the Year revealed it's a trait the Broncos spend plenty of time mastering. 

"I really think pressure can affect the rhythm of an offense, you know what I mean? Credit to VJ as well," Surtain said post-game. "I think he was giving him different looks, different coverages. We added pressure with that as well. I feel like when you generate that much pressure, we have the ability to be open and do new coverages, try new different disguises, and stuff like that. So, it's something we prepared for during the week when we cover, you understand how much pressure we get back there. Affecting the quarterback, that makes for a dominant defense." 

What happens next on the Broncos beat? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Best in the Business

Oct 12, 2025; Tottenham, United Kingdom; New York Jets wide receiver Josh Reynolds (83) is defended by Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) during an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Of course, Joseph would be the first to tell you how advantageous it is to have the game's premier shutdown cornerback at his disposal on a weekly basis. When God-given talent, studious preparation, and precise execution come together into one package, it looks exactly like Surtain. 

The thing is, a defense that boasts a phenom like Surtain is always going to pose major questions and light destructive fuses. It has unleashed quite a feeding frenzy, especially now that Surtain has been joined in the DPoY running by Broncos' outside linebacker Nik Bonitto. 

The Broncos' embarrassment of riches on defense is creating serious waves when the game is on the line, and it’s quite a dream scenario for Coach Payton to revel in. He’s always thankful to unleash his plethora of closers in crunch time. 

"We've got a number of them that... listen, you're glad that you have them on your team and are not playing against them," Payton said post-game. 

As they move forward, the Bronocs' newly established ability to finish teams off defensively will have to show up time and time again, and it could be required on the regular if the offense can only manage to put up 13 points per game.