JB: Touchdowns and early TDs in the first half. As they continue to compete for their first win of the season, the Jets have not scored a first-half touchdown since Week 1 against Pittsburgh. They have been able to put up 3 points on opening drives the past two games but also had nothing to show for a long opening drive at Miami with a fumble deep in the red zone, a turnover that ended a 13-play, 7-minute drive. Then there was a fumble last week that led to Dallas scoring pair of late second-quarter TDs. Plus penalties that seem to sap offensive momentum. Consider that nearly one-third of the Jets’ 112 points scored have come off the foot of kicker Nick Folk (34 points, 9 FG, 7 PAT). “Finish, it’s that simple, there’s no overthinking it,” QB Justin Fields said. “Every drive is different. So, I think to kind of summarize it, to make it as simple as possible, is just finishing drives and having that 4-point differential rather than just taking 3.” Denver is not the type of defensive team you want to face if you’re chasing the game. The Broncos lead the league in sacks (21) and OLB Nik Bonitto, leads the NFL with 7.
SW: Running the ball effectively and finishing drives. The Jets have put together some promising drives — almost entirely on the ground — early in games. But whether it’s settling for field goals or turning the ball over in costly positions, they have been unable to find the end zone. Early deficits have forced the team to shift its game plan to try to put points on the board quickly. Running the ball certainly won’t be easy — the Broncos’ defense has allowed the fifth fewest rushing yards per game across the league (88.4) – but the Jets also boast the third-most rushing yards per game in the NFL (144.4). And while the Jets do have a run-first mindset, passing the ball effectively might be the ultimate difference-maker in this matchup. The Broncos lead the NFL in sacks (21) and OLB Nik Bonitto’s 7 sacks also lead the league. And don’t forget about reigning Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II in the secondary. The Jets will have to find a way to mix things up offensively, by running the ball effectively and QB Justin Fields getting the ball out quickly — to keep this stout Denver defense on its toes.