LONDON — It's almost time for football across the pond.
The Broncos will look to cap off a trip to London with a victory and push their winning streak to three games as they take on the New York Jets (0-5) on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
With a win, the Broncos would earn a 4-2 record and secure their best start since the 2016 season.
For Denver to do that, the team will need to reset after an emotional come-from-behind win against the Eagles in Week 5.
"I understand the significance of last week's win relative to the opponent," Head Coach Sean Payton said Wednesday. "They're all units. The first objective is to win the division, the second is to improve your seeding and then, last, play for a championship. That hasn't changed. Just as we try to digest a loss and then flip the page, the same has to be said with a win. I think we have the right makeup and leadership to understand where the focus needs to be this week."
In the Broncos' third regular-season international game in franchise history, the team will aim to keep the Jets winless and head back to Denver with a pair of victories from an extended road trip.
These are the questions that will determine if the Broncos can head home with a win:
CAN THE BRONCOS CONTROL THE RUN GAME?
The Broncos' path to a victory likely begins at the line of scrimmage.
"The run game is going to be really important," Payton said Friday.
A week ago in Philadelphia, Denver ran the ball 19 times for 96 yards (5.05 YPC) in the second half despite facing a 14-point deficit entering the fourth quarter. The balance and patience paid off, as Denver surged back to a win. Running back J.K. Dobbins has at least 100 yards or a touchdown in all five games this season, and he ranked fifth in the NFL in rushing yards entering Week 5. His 498 rushing yards through five weeks are the most by a Broncos running back since 2007, and he and rookie RJ Harvey are one of six duos with at least 150 rushing yards this season.
As a team, the Broncos' 140.6 rushing yards per game rank fourth in the NFL and are the most yards per game through five weeks for the Broncos since 2017. The Jets, meanwhile, have allowed 140.4 rushing yards per game and rank 27th in the NFL in rushing defense.
The Broncos' rushing attack will need to adapt, as guard Ben Powers was ruled out Friday with a biceps injury and will not play in the game. Denver has not announced who will play in his absence, but the Broncos will feature a new starter on the offensive line for the first time this season.
"I think when you're able to run it, it's going to help your play action," Payton said after the win over the Eagles. "Sure enough, we hit the tight end on a spear route off of play action. It all kind of fits together and you're on schedule. … I knew that we weren't going to have the same run outcomes, but it's kind of like punching that body punch that you don't get an immediate response, but you know that ultimately it's effective."
Denver's ability to stop the Jets' run game will be equally as important. The Jets have recorded 144.4 rush yards per game, ranking third in the NFL through five weeks. They're led by Breece Hall, whose 351 yards rank seventh in the NFL. Quarterback Justin Fields has also averaged north of 50 rushing yards per game this year, and he poses a challenge for Denver's defense.
"[Fields] is so talented," Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph said Thursday. "He's dangerous, obviously, with his legs. He's a better runner than [Eagles quarterback Jalen] Hurts, in my opinion. He has a great arm. … He's capable of making big plays, and that's scary for a coach."
If the Broncos can find a way to keep their success in the run game going and slow the Jets, it could lead to a win overseas.
CAN DENVER'S DEFENSE STIFLE JUSTIN FIELDS, GARRETT WILSON?
Fields' success certainly isn't limited to his contributions in the run game, as he's one of two quarterbacks in the NFL with a 100-plus passer rating and no interceptions this season. Through five weeks, his 119.8 passer rating against the blitz ranks eighth in the NFL.
Denver, though, can get pressure even without bringing an extra rusher. The Broncos have an NFL-leading 43.4 quarterback pressure percentage without blitzing — and Fields' passer rating is nearly 20 points lower when not facing the blitz. The Broncos also rank first in sacks and second in quarterback pressures without blitzing, and five of their six sacks in Week 5 came without bringing an extra player.
Outside linebacker Nik Bonitto leads the group, and he is on pace to break the Von Miller's franchise sack record. Bonitto's seven sacks match the Jets' sack total as a team through five games.
"For him to be beating Von Miller stats, I'm kind of like, 'Yeah, that's what's up,'" outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper said this week. "I always had faith in my dude — always."
The Broncos' 21 sacks rank first in the league, and they'll face a Jets team that has given up the fifth-most sacks in the NFL. Denver also ranks in the top three in points allowed, third-down defense and red-zone defense.
The play of reigning Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II has certainly contributed to the defense's performance, as well. On Sunday, he could match up with Garrett Wilson, who ranks in the top 10 in the NFL in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Wilson also has a receiving touchdown in three straight games, which is the longest streak of his career. Surtain, though, has slowed Wilson in the past. In three career meetings, Surtain has allowed three catches on seven targets for just 34 yards. The All-Pro corner has also recorded a pair of passes defensed and an interception while not giving up a touchdown.
If Surtain can find that level of success again, it could go a long way.
A final interesting defensive twist involves the Broncos' use of zone defense. After playing a lot of man coverage early in Week 5, Denver shifted to zone and played that coverage on a season-high 66.7 percent of the snaps, according to Next Gen Stats. The Broncos racked up six sacks and a 43.3 pressure percentage while allowing no touchdowns in zone. Fields, meanwhile, has no touchdowns and an 86.4 passer rating vs. zone this season. Against man, he's racked up four touchdowns and a 126.3 passer rating. As Joseph calls the game Sunday, the Broncos' style of play could be worth watching.
WILL THE BRONCOS MATCH THE JETS' INTENSITY?
The Jets haven't yet earned a win this season, but the Broncos know what they'll be facing this weekend at Tottenham.
"Desperate teams always win in this league," tackle Mike McGlinchey told DenverBroncos.com on Thursday. "I think we're pretty desperate to be great. I think they're ready to get their first win. It should be a great matchup."
Across the roster, the Broncos emphasized that they aren't overlooking a winless Jets team. New York has suffered three of its losses by fewer than seven points, including a pair of losses on game-winning field goals.
"There's no team in the NFL that you can take lightly, especially this group that we've got," McGlinchey said. "There's talent all over their roster. … It's a huge week for us, and we've got a great opportunity to try to beat a good football team."
The Broncos eked out a 10-9 win over the Jets last season, and two of the last three meetings between the teams have been one-score games.
"They're a good football team," Nix said. "They've been close on some games. They were a couple of walk-off plays away from having two or three wins. I definitely think that is something you've got to be careful with. This is not a team to just toss around like they're winless, but I think we will be ready to go."
Nix is 5-1 in his career vs. team that entered the game with a losing record, and he'll face a Jets defense that ranks 31st in points allowed. New York is the only team this season to have allowed at least 25 points in every game, and Payton is 16-3 in his career facing teams with a bottom three scoring defense in Week 5 or later. In those matchups, Payton's teams have averaged 33.2 points per game and more than 415 yards per contest.
The Broncos will look to reset their focus and continue to find offensive success in Week 6.
