New York Jets @ Denver Broncos
Final Score: Jets 31, Broncos 21
Writer: Adam Nardelli (@adamnardelli on Twitter)
A beautiful 75-degree day in Denver saw two teams desperate to make it 2-3 and not fall too far out of the early playoff chase. The Broncos, in their orange color rush uniforms with the old-school logo on the helmets, looked like the superior team in the first half, yet the Jets defense was able to keep it close by forcing field goals on two red zone trips for Denver. Zach Wilson and the Jets offense were mostly kept in check in the first half. The Jets only came away with two field goals after they were unable to spike the ball before the first-half clock expired, eliminating a chance at another field goal attempt. The second half saw a Broncos offense run into a roadblock, coming away with -18 total yards on their first five drives. Yes, you read that right. A 72-yard run by Breece Hall in the third quarter and a fumble return for a touchdown by the Jets defense was too much for the Broncos to overcome, dropping to a highly disappointing 1-4. Also, I really want to like these Broncos color rush uniforms, but something is holding me back.
Three Up.
- Breece Hall – Hall had his official coming out party after tearing his ACL last October, often looking like the best player on the field. It felt like he was finally unleashed today and Hall took full advantage of a horrific Broncos run defense. Amazing news for managers who took a chance and invested a high pick in Hall.
- Tyler Conklin – Continues to look like a legitimate, viable play at Tight End and has a good rapport with Zach Wilson. Two explosive plays.
- Jaleel McLaughlin – He keeps making it harder for Sean Payton to take him off the field after he averaged over 7 yards a carry today.
Three Down
- Russell Wilson – Had a nice day rushing, but underwhelming through the air and fumbled twice, with the second one losing them the game.
- Courtland Sutton – After an encouraging start to the year, two straight duds and was barely involved today.
- Dalvin Cook – Starting to become hard to keep on a fantasy roster as he looks more and more like an afterthought for the Jets.
New York Jets
Quarterback
Zach Wilson: 19/26, 199 yards, INT, 3 carries, 26 yards, sacked four times
Wilson was unable to carry over the positive momentum from last week into the first quarter. The offense had no rhythm and Wilson took a bad sack on a third down deep in their own territory forcing a punt. It almost looked like Wilson went backward after he led the offense to just two first downs across their first three possessions.
The Utah native led a good two-minute drive at the end of the first half where he looked comfortable, was efficient, and used his legs well. The drive ended with no points after Wilson completed a pass to Tight End CJ Uzomah, but Wilson couldn’t spike the ball before the first-half clock expired. You’d have to be sick as a Jets fan losing out on an easy field goal attempt like that. The poor decision-making and bad clock management from the third-year quarterback cost the Jets a field goal in a game when, at the time, points looked to be at a bit of a premium.
For the most part, Wilson did enough to not lose the Jets the game and actually put together a few explosive plays. A 37-yard pass to Tyler Conklin and a 32-yard connection with Garrett Wilson can give some hope to Jets fans that the offense might not have to fully fall on the shoulders of Breece Hall. He piloted three second-half field goal drives, which on a day where the Jets defense really came to play in the second half, was more than enough to help lead the Jets to their first road victory in almost a year. The reason I say for the most part is due to a late fourth-quarter interception by Wilson to Pat Surtain deep in Broncos territory. The Jets defense bailed Wilson out (more on that later), but if you’re going to throw with a lead late in the game deep on your opponent’s side of the field, the worst-case scenario should be a field goal attempt. After Justin Fields lit up the Broncos defense and the Dolphins made them look invisible, it was disappointing to see Wilson play just “okay”.
Lastly, I think his mobility can actually be utilized more in this offense after he was able to put together 26 yards on the ground. His athleticism is a little underrated, and for a guy who at times really struggles to throw the ball, utilizing his legs more can add a new element to this offense.
Running Back
Breece Hall: 22 carries, 177 yards, 3 targets, 3 receptions, 17 yards
After Hall sprinted past the Broncos defense for a 72-yard touchdown in the third quarter, it’s official that he’s all the way back from his torn ACL, ironically in the same stadium where he tore it almost a year ago. Before that, Hall had three straight touches in the first quarter and then six carries on a mid-second quarter drive, so early in the game it was evident that the pitch count is clearly a thing of the past. Hall is the complete package at running back, as he also got a bit involved in the passing game, and may actually end up being a discount with where he ended up going in drafts. Yes, the Broncos defense is horrific against the run, but today was more about the Iowa State product showing us all that the knee injury from 2022 can’t and won’t hold him back, if it ever did. Fantasy managers who were patient with Hall so far this year reaped the benefits today, and they very well may continue to reap those benefits.
Dalvin Cook: 6 carries, 23 yards, 0 targets
Remember when there was some talk of Dalvin Cook stealing touches from Breece Hall? We can safely put that to rest. Cook looks more and more like an afterthought in this offense, especially after he failed to register a target today. I can see wanting to keep Cook as a handcuff to Hall, but even when he got the ball today he was mostly bottled up, averaging under four yards a carry.
Michael Carter: 1 carry, 8 yards, 3 targets, 3 receptions, 14 yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Garrett Wilson: 7 targets, 3 receptions, 54 yards
Wilson had a relatively quiet day aside from a 32-yard reception from Zach Wilson in the fourth quarter. He was also unable to come away with a 50-50 ball after Pat Surtain snagged the ball away from him on the Jets final drive. Of course, 3 catches for 54 yards is another disappointing outing and fantasy managers should be wondering if he’ll ever be worth the high draft capital required to secure Wilson. Even as talented as he is it looks like the second-year receiver is having trouble overcoming Zach Wilson’s at best average play. Something to be encouraged about is the seven targets as it’s clear his quarterback is often looking his way. Now it’s just about those targets bearing some fruit.
Tyler Conklin: 5 targets, 4 receptions, 67 yards
Conklin has now put together two straight solid performances after he led the Jets in receiving yards today. He connected with Wilson on a third and four for 19 yards on a drive eventually leading to a field goal allowing the Jets to build their lead. He also had a 37-yard catch on another third down late in the fourth quarter, showing Conklin has some big play ability and maybe a higher ceiling than other tight ends. If you’re struggling at tight end he’s a guy that unquestionably should be looked at being added considering the scarcity of the position. He and Wilson seem to be building some nice chemistry.
Allen Lazard: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 33 yards
He’s the WR2, but today emphasized that the second receiver on this offense often isn’t going to be worth a look in your starting lineup or even on your roster.
CJ Uzomah: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 12 yards
Jeremy Ruckert: 1 target, 1 reception, 2 yards
Denver Broncos
Quarterback
Russell Wilson: 20/31, 196 yards, 2 TDs, 7 carries, 49 yards
Is it 2014? If Russell Wilson was wearing a Seahawks uniform today you might have guessed that with how well he ran the ball in the first half. The 12-year veteran had a 16-yard scramble in and another 21-yard run, both in the first quarter. After Jaleel McLaughlin took a Wilson screen pass 22 yards for a touchdown, Wilson led two more field goal drives before the end of the first half. Points are never a bad thing, but it felt like Wilson and the Broncos offense should’ve taken more advantage of these two long drives (8 and 11 plays respectively) with touchdowns. The second half was a totally different story. To say Wilson and the rest of the offense were mostly inept is an understatement. After their first five drives of the second half, the Broncos netted -18 total yards. Yes, you read that right. The Jets defense is good, but they’re not the 2000 Ravens.
A 7-play 75-yard drive late in the fourth quarter was capped with a short touchdown pass to Adam Trautman, but their complete ineffectiveness the rest of the second half was eye-opening, and that starts with Wilson. Wilson fumbled with under two minutes left on a scramble to the left, and the Jets took advantage of his mistake by taking it to the house for six. Sean Payton let him have it, and after falling to 1-4, Russell Wilson and the Broncos don’t look that much different than they did last year. This is a team at a crossroads with an almost 35-year-old quarterback, a real rough spot to be.
Running Back
Jaleel McLaughlin: 9 carries, 68 yards, 4 targets, 3 receptions, 21 yards, 1 TD
The Youngstown State product started off hot with a 38-yard run in the first quarter. He then tipped the ball to himself on a screen pass from Russell Wilson and blew right by the Jets defense for a 22-yard touchdown reception. His explosiveness was clearly on display and it’s hard to understand how he was not a bigger part of the offense in the second half when the offense stalled. Get the ball to the man in space and see what happens. Regardless of the injury status of Javonte Williams going forward, I’m not sure how Sean Payton keeps the undrafted rookie off the field.
Samaje Perine: 6 carries, 22 yards, 5 targets, 4 receptions, 73 yards
Not forgotten at least yet as he took a screen pass 25 yards at the end of the first quarter and then another for 29 yards. Similar to McLaughlin, getting him more involved in the passing game probably should’ve been an emphasis when the Broncos were stagnant for most of the second half. He’s not as explosive as McLaughlin, as he only averaged 3.7 yards per carry, but on a day when the receiving corp was mostly taken out of the game, he did stand out as having value in the passing game. Javonte Williams’ injury status should be monitored to determine how much Perine will be involved going forward, but today at least kept the lightbulb on for his fantasy value.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Jerry Jeudy: 7 targets, 6 receptions, 50 yards
Jeudy was mostly shut down until he had a 23-yard catch during a mid-fourth-quarter drive that led to a touchdown. Another 20-yard catch on their final drive got him to a respectable 11 PPR points. With how bad the Broncos offense was today for a lot of the game, the fact that he got to 50 yards is almost a miracle. Fantasy managers need more out of Jeudy, though, considering where he was selected for most of draft season before injuring his hamstring on August 24. The seven targets do show Wilson is at least trying to get him the ball, and with how talented we all know Jeudy is, you have to think at some point he’s going to pop.
Courtland Sutton: 3 targets, 1 reception, 13 yards
Sutton was completely shut down by Sauce Gardner and the rest of the Jets secondary. In a game where the Broncos were trailing for a lot of the second half, the three targets is most concerning. One thing you can hang your hat on if you’re a Broncos fan is that Sutton will have easier matchups in the future, but the connection between him and Wilson needs some tuning up if they’re going to have any hope of turning the season around.
Adam Trautman: 5 targets, 4 receptions, 26 yards, TD
While his is a solid stat line for a Tight End these days, his five targets against the Jets matched the amount of targets he had for the whole season coming into today. He is a Sean Payton guy, but we of course don’t want to overreact to one decent (not even great) game.
Brandon Johnson: 1 target, 1 reception, 9 yards
Marvin Mims: 1 target, 1 reception, 4 yards
Mims couldn’t secure the ball on a reverse late in the third quarter and the Jets recovered. After three straight three and outs the Broncos were given a gift on a muffed punt by the Jets, but Mims’ fumble threw away this opportunity in Jets territory. Today showed he remains a highly volatile fantasy asset.