LONDON (AP) — Bo Nix threw an early touchdown pass, Wil Lutz kicked a late go-ahead field goal and the Denver Broncos sacked Justin Fields nine times, with the final one sealing an ugly 13-11 victory over the winless New York Jets on Sunday.
The Broncos (4-2) won their third in a row, but found themselves trailing 11-10 after conceding a safety in the third quarter against a Jets team that managed just 82 total net yards on offense.
Nix, who was 19 of 30 for 174 yards, led Denver on a 12-play, 65-yard drive that ended with Lutz’s 27-yard field with just over five minutes left.
Despite a horrendous offensive display, the Jets (0-6) still had the ball with a chance to drive for a potential winning score.
But Fields was sacked by Jonathon Cooper and Justin Strnad on fourth-and-8 from the Denver 44 after Aaron Glenn opted to go for it rather than send out Nick Folk for a long field-goal attempt. Folk was 3 for 3 on the day.
Fields struggled all game against Denver’s dominant defense, completing nine of 17 passes for just 45 yards. The Jets finished with minus-10 net yards passing, the fewest in franchise history. It was also the fewest in any NFL game since the Chargers had minus-19 against the Kansas City Chiefs in Ryan Leaf’s third career start in 1998.
“Our passing game was non-existent,” Glenn said after the game.
Glenn is still searching for his first victory after last week becoming the first Jets coach to begin his tenure with five losses. The Jets, the league’s lone winless team, are now 0-6 for the third time in their history, joining the 2020 and 1996 squads.
The Broncos, coming off an impressive comeback victory last week against then-undefeated Philadelphia, took a 10-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Nix pump-faked to the flat and then found a wide-open Nate Adkins near the sideline for a 16-yard touchdown. The Broncos had kept the drive alive when Nix hit Evan Engram for an 11-yard gain on a fourth-and-5 from the Jets 47.
Sack attack
The Broncos added to their league-leading total by swarming Fields all game. Cooper had two, Strnad had 1 1/2 and league leader Nik Bonitto had one to give him eight for the season.
The Jets managed just one sack. They have just four in the past five games.
What just happened?
The Jets took an improbable 11-10 lead on a safety in the third quarter after Austin McNamara’s punt pinned the Broncos on their 3.
On first down, Quinn Meinerz was whistled for holding — enforced in the end zone for a safety.
In another unusual scenario, the Jets had let the clock run out at the end of the first half. They moved the ball to their 47 with about 30 seconds left, but on fourth-and-1, let the clock run out. They had no timeouts left.
Wide receiver Garrett Wilson appeared agitated as he spoke to Glenn as the team walked to the locker room at halftime.
The Jets produced just 32 total net yards in the first half — fewest by any NFL team in the first two quarters this season.
Injuries
Broncos: LB Garret Wallow was ruled out early in the fourth quarter.
Jets: Glenn said Wilson played through a hip issue during the game. … LB Cam Jones and CB Qwan’tez Stiggers also left with hip injuries. … Edge rusher Will McDonald IV went to locker room in the second quarter to be evaluated for a concussion, but returned.
Up next
Broncos: More New Yorkers. They host the Giants at next week. Their bye is Week 12.
Jets: Host the Carolina Panthers next Sunday. Their bye is Week 9.
___
AP NFL:
The post Broncos get 9 sacks and beat the winless Jets in ugly 13-11 win in London appeared first on Associated Press.
