Broncos Record Nine Sacks, Edge Winless Jets in Sluggish London Contest

AP Photo | Kin Cheung

LONDON — Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II described watching his teammates sack New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields as “a pleasure.” The Broncos, who recorded nine sacks on Fields, secured a narrow 13-11 victory over the winless Jets on Sunday. Bo Nix threw an early touchdown pass, and Wil Lutz kicked a late field goal to give Denver (4-2) their third consecutive win. The Broncos had traveled directly to London following a comeback 21-17 win over the previously undefeated Philadelphia Eagles, avoiding what many feared could be a “trap game.” “The most important thing was coming here and getting the win — it didn't matter how it looked,” linebacker Nik Bonitto said. He added one sack to extend his league-leading total to eight. The Jets briefly led 11-10 after forcing a safety in the third quarter, despite gaining just 82 total net yards on offense. Nix led a 12-play, 65-yard drive that ended with Lutz’s 27-yard field goal with slightly over five minutes remaining. Denver’s defense dominated Fields throughout the game. He completed only nine of 17 passes for 45 yards, while the Jets finished with minus-10 net passing yards—the fewest in franchise history and the fewest allowed by the Broncos in team history. It also marked the lowest net passing yardage in an NFL game since the Chargers allowed minus-19 against the Kansas City Chiefs in 1998. “Our passing game was non-existent,” Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said. Glenn remains winless in his tenure with New York, as the team fell to 0-6 for the third time in franchise history, joining the 1996 and 2020 teams. Denver took a 10-6 lead in the first quarter when Nix connected with Nate Adkins on a 16-yard touchdown, extending a drive kept alive by a fourth-and-5 conversion to Evan Engram. Engram led the Broncos with five catches for 42 yards.

Despite struggling offensively, Denver relied on their defense to secure the win. Cooper recorded two sacks, while Justin Strnad added 1.5, further bolstering the Broncos’ league-leading sack total. The Jets, by contrast, managed only one sack in the contest. A safety in the third quarter gave the Jets an unlikely 11-10 advantage after Denver was penalized for holding in the end zone. Another unusual sequence occurred late in the first half, when the Jets let the clock expire on fourth-and-1 from the Broncos’ 47-yard line. Wide receiver Garrett Wilson expressed frustration afterward, though Glenn explained the decision was tactical.

Injuries affected both squads. For the Broncos, linebacker Garret Wallow exited early in the fourth quarter. The Jets lost LB Cam Jones and CB Qwan’tez Stiggers to hip injuries, and edge rusher Will McDonald IV temporarily left for a concussion evaluation. Wilson played through a rib issue, despite reports of a hip problem. Next week, the Broncos host the New York Giants at Empower Field at Mile High, while the Jets will face the Carolina Panthers at home.