Initial thoughts from Broncos’ 10-9 win over the New York Jets:
Un-Bo-Lieveable first half: Denver has had 14 starting quarterbacks since Peyton Manning retired following the 2015 season. None played a worse first half than Bo Nix. He is a rookie. The situation demands context and patience. But it also requires basic competence. Nix couldn’t get a grip, literally. In rainy and misty conditions, the 24-year-old threw wildly off target, pushed the ball like a grenade and spent the first 30 minutes wiping off his hands. Nix became the first quarterback since 1991 to complete at least three passes and finish with negative yards in the first half. He went 7 for 15 for minus-7 yards. Nix rebounded in the second half, throwing the first touchdown pass of his career on his 135th attempt. It came on an 8-yard lob to a wide-open Courtland Sutton.
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Locke it down: Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph’s group continues to widen eyes and draw praise. Aaron Rodgers, while taking passive-aggressive digs at Denver’s offense this week, admitted that the Broncos defense was doing work. But it’s fair to say their nasty disposition surprised even the four-time MVP. The Broncos held the Jets to 15 yards in the first quarter — under normal circumstances, it would have produced a lead, but Denver had 6 yards. The defense set the Broncos up to win the game on the Jets’ second-to-last drive. P.J. Locke perfectly executed a safety blitz, slamming into Rodgers for a sack. A field goal would have shoved Denver ahead 13-9, but Wil Lutz pushed a 50-yard field goal wide left. The Jets returned the favor as Greg Zuerlein reciprocated with a 50-yard miss.
Challenging times: Rodgers likely would not have been in a position to beat the Broncos if not for some coaching decisions. On third down with a little over 4 minutes remaining, Rodgers was sacked by Malcolm Roach and Jonah Elliss, and the ball squirted loose. The officials ruled he was down on the play as Elliss scooped up the ball and ran into the end zone. Replays showed that Rodgers clearly fumbled. The problem? The Broncos had no challenges left after coach Sean Payton contested an incomplete pass to Courtland Sutton in the first half and a completion to the Jets’ Garret Wilson in the third quarter. Neither was overturned.
Just-in Time: Alex Singleton walked around the field in pregame, his normal routine. But after playing all but eight plays on a torn right ACL last week, his next step is surgery in Los Angeles. Justin Strnad was a surprise starter alongside Cody Barton, who called the defensive signals. Strnad, a special teams ace, played his first defensive snaps and made the most of it. With his hair on fire, Strnad produced a sack on the game’s first play, corralling Aaron Rodgers for an 8-yard loss. Strnad, a former star at Wake Forest, has given the Broncos coach something to think about regarding the inside linebacker position even after the practice signings of veterans Zach Cunningham and Kwon Alexander.
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