Exploiting Broncos' Vulnerable Defense Key to Jets' Success
The numbers suggest the New York Jets' offense is in line for its best day yet.
Looking nothing like an Orange Crush, the Denver Broncos feature the National Football League's least efficient defense through the first four weeks of the 2023 season.
Set to host the Jets on October 8 at Mile High Stadium, the Broncos rank at the bottom of the league in multiple key defensive metrics. Denver permits a league-high 7.05 yards per play to opposing offenses while no NFL team has allowed more total yards or points than the Broncos thus far.
Sandwiched in between a 35-point effort by Washington and a 28-point showing by Chicago, Miami put up an eye-popping "70 burger" on the Broncos in Week 3.
"One of the best players on their team is Justin Simmons. I know him being out was definitely something that kind of triggered that," said Jets' offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. "I thought Miami had a great game plan versus them. You always kind of look at some of those things and see what you can pull from it, but every game is a different challenge. Every defense is going to play you a little bit different. They might not do the exact same thing."
Whatever the Broncos' defense has been doing, it hasn't been effective thus far. Denver allows a league-high 26 first downs per game to opposing offenses.
In a competent effort against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, the Jets moved the chains 18 times with 12 coming via the pass. Zach Wilson was efficient, going 28-of-39 passing for 245 yards and two touchdowns.
"The whole offense together being able to move the ball that way, I think felt awesome. I think that’s something that needs to be the standard to do every week," said Wilson on Thursday. "We just did a great job of getting into a rhythm, some flow, getting going, and scoring touchdowns, getting first downs, that’s the key."
Wilson will lead the offense against an opponent that permits a league-high 8.9 yards per pass. The Broncos haven't been much better defending the run, either, allowing 5.6 yards per carry (second worst in NFL).
A healthy, unrestricted Breece Hall seems to have an advantageous matchup on Sunday. Denver has allowed a 100-yard rusher two weeks in a row.
"An unbelievable player. My job is how often can I get the ball in his hands and he’ll go make some plays for us," said Wilson of the Jets' RB1.
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