Denver Broncos: Behind Enemy Lines with The Jet Press
We interviewed The Jet Press expert Justin Fried to talk about the Denver Broncos vs New York Jets week 3 matchup.
The Denver Broncos are looking to get their third (straight) win of the 2021 season against the New York Jets in Week 3. They’ll be without several pieces, including pass rusher Bradley Chubb, who is scheduled to have arthroscopic knee surgery.
Denver Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has been playing exceptionally well early on. It’ll be important for him to continue his hot streak at home.
Denver will, unfortunately, be without second-year receiver Jerry Jeudy, who suffered an ankle injury in week 1, but will be back in several weeks.
Without further ado, check out what The Jet Press’ Justin Fried had to say.
PO: Despite the Jets’ 0-2 start, I’m sure you’ve seen some positives from rookie quarterback Zach Wilson. How would you grade Wilson so far?
JF: It’s been a tale of two games for Zach Wilson. He looked mostly good in Week 1 despite a terrible performance from his offensive line. But in Week 2, although his supporting cast played much better, he let his team down. It’s been two games, so it’s impossible to accurately gauge Wilson. There have been good moments, and there have been bad moments. The Jets are hoping for more of the former while understanding that they’ll get a mix of both.
PO: What major differences have you seen between Robert Salah and former Jets head coach Adam Gase so far?
JF: It might sound a little cliche, but there’s a completely different vibe with this Jets team. There’s a newfound energy and excitement, even in defeat. Of course, more games like last week will quickly curb that energy, but for now, it’s impossible not to notice the difference. Robert Saleh couldn’t be any more different of a coach than Adam Gase is/was, both when it comes to attitude and schematics, and that’s probably a good thing.
PO: The Broncos’ run defense is one of the best in the NFL. How do you think the Jets can counter it?
JF: The Jets offensive line actually played quite well last week and opened up some running lanes for the likes of Michael Carter and Ty Johnson. The Patriots’ front-seven is stout, so it’s encouraging that the Jets were able to find as much success as they did. Mekhi Becton’s absence hurts, but if they play as well as they did last week, they should still be able to find some semblance of success.
PO: Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has been efficient in two games this season. What can we expect from the Jets’ defense in Week 3?
JF: The Jets defense has overachieved through two weeks. Despite a cornerback group that looked like perhaps the worst in the NFL on paper, the secondary has held up quite well with the likes of Bryce Hall, Brandin Echols, and Michael Carter II looking like bonafide starters. Bridgewater has played well to this point and there will be growing pains with such a young secondary, but it’s hard not to feel optimistic about the unit given what we’ve seen so far.
PO: Who is one relatively unknown player on offense that Broncos fans may want to keep their eye on? How about defensively?
JF: This Jets roster is full of unknowns which is hardly a surprise given that they are the youngest team in the NFL. On offense, don’t overlook either Ty Johnson or Michael Carter at running back. If not them, perhaps keep an eye on wide receiver Braxton Berrios. He’s amazingly the Jets’ leading receiver through two weeks, although his role should diminish with Jamison Crowder likely returning.
On defense, John Franklin-Myers has been arguably the Jets’ best overall player this year. He has two sacks through two games and is one of only three players in the NFL with two or more sacks, two or more tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. The other two are Chandler Jones and Nick Bosa. Franklin-Myers deserves more national attention.
PO: How about a player who is considered a cornerstone of the team?
JF: With such a young roster, the true “cornerstones” of the roster are very much to be determined. One of them, Mekhi Becton, is sidelined with a knee injury. Of course, the hope is that young players like Zach Wilson, Alijah Vera-Tucker, and Elijah Moore can develop into cornerstones, but it’s too soon to say that about any of them. It’s been a quiet start for Quinnen Williams as he works his way back from a foot injury, but he’s probably the most conventional cornerstone they have on defense.
PO: Denver Broncos rookie cornerback Pat Surtain made his first career start against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He intercepted Trevor Lawrence while also making four tackles in Ronald Darby’s place. How confident are you in Wilson to make the right throws against a tough Denver secondary?
JF: Denver’s secondary made Trevor Lawrence look silly a week ago and they’ll face another rookie QB this week. Despite what many have said, Zach Wilson’s struggles in Week 2 weren’t necessarily a result of Bill Belichick and the Patriots doing anything special. He was just bad. It happens. As for this week, Vic Fangio’s defenses are notorious for being tough on rookie quarterbacks and this Broncos secondary might be the best in the NFL. It won’t be an easy day for Wilson and the Jets’ offense.
PO: The Denver Broncos gave up a kick return touchdown against the Jaguars. What can we expect from the Jets’ special teams unit? Are there any explosive players we need to watch out for?
JF: The aforementioned Braxton Berrios is the primary return man for the Jets. He’s surehanded and reliable but isn’t someone you probably need to be worried about breaking one for a touchdown. Berrios’ longest return (either kick or punt) came last week when he returned a kickoff 38 yards. The Jets’ special teams have been good this year, but Berrios is hardly Devin Hester.
PO: With Tom Brady out of the division and the Buffalo Bills seemingly in the driver’s seat in the AFC East, how long do you think it will be before the Jets are in competition for the division?
JF: You’d like to hope that they could be competitive as soon as next year if all goes according to plan. This is a young roster, but the Jets have some pieces in place to be competitive in the near future. They’ll have a ton of cap space and draft capital to play with next offseason as they continue to shape this roster. Joe Douglas has done well accumulating resources to this point, but his track record with maximizing those resources is very much to be determined. There’s optimism, for sure, but the Jets still have a long way to go.
PO: Left tackle Mekhi Becton will be out several weeks after knee surgery. How do you feel his replacement, George Fant, has done and will he be fine against the Broncos’ pass rush?
JF: George Fant actually started Week 1 at right tackle over Morgan Moses in a surprising decision, but Becton’s injury has forced the team to move him to the left side. Moses has been arguably the team’s best offensive lineman through two weeks prompting questions about why he wasn’t starting (as he did all summer) in the first place. As for Fant, he did a good enough job in Week 2. Fant’s a low-end starting-caliber tackle whose athleticism makes him a good fit in the Jets’ scheme. It’s all about communication for the Jets’ offensive line. Fant is who he is— sometimes a liability, sometimes a reliable starter.
PO: Lastly, how do you see Week 3 playing out?
JF: The Jets have a shot in this one if Wilson plays as well as he did in the second half of Week 1. The Jets were very much in the game against the Panthers and had numerous golden opportunities to beat the Patriots had it not been for Wilson’s poor day. This Jets team will sneak a few wins this season, but the Denver Broncos are the heavy favorites for a reason. This isn’t an easy matchup for Wilson and the Broncos have shown that they have enough offensive firepower to put up points. Barring a sizable upset, Denver should win this one handily.
You can check out Justin Fried’s articles over at Jet Press here. Thank you, Justin, for taking the time to answer some questions ahead of this intriguing matchup.
The Denver Broncos and New York Jets game is scheduled for 2:05 PM Mountain time on Sunday.