The Denver Broncos have left the thrill of a stunning victory far behind.
After all, their 21-17 win over the previously unbeaten Philadelphia Eagles was last week — and a continent away.
“Yes, we definitely have to get back honed in, get back focused and move on to the next game,” Broncos outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper said as the team prepared to face the New York Jets on Sunday in London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“You can’t live on this game and be like, ‘Wow, we beat the Eagles,’ and then just carry that into the week,” Cooper added. “No, it’s time to flush that one. Process it, review it, learn from it and then on to the next one.”
That would be the struggling Jets (0-5), who are still looking for their first win under Aaron Glenn. He's the first coach in franchise history to begin his tenure with five losses. A loss to the Broncos (3-2) on Sunday would give them their third 0-6 start and first since they opened 0-13 under Adam Gase in 2020.
“Listen, we say it’s a long season, but we know how these weeks continue to compile and we have to make sure we get out of this hole that we’re in,” Glenn said. “And we all understand that.”
The Jets are the only NFL team without a win. They were steamrolled by the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday, falling 37-22 in a game that was never close. Glenn has preached patience, but frustrated fans are just about out of that — especially with the team appearing likely to extend the league's longest active playoff drought to 15 seasons. No team has made the postseason after starting 0-5.
Still, Denver quarterback Bo Nix was miffed at the mere suggestion the Broncos could overlook the Jets.
“I think in the league, quite honestly, it’s a little disrespectful to consider anybody a trap team,” Nix said. “I think any game you can walk in and slip up and lose, that’s just the league. ... 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.”
Consecutive DPOYs?
Take it from the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year: Denver outside linebacker Nik Bonitto has what it takes to win the award this season.
“He’s my favorite, I’m not going to lie,” Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II said of his teammate, who's tied with the Giants' Brian Burns for the league lead with seven sacks. “Shoot, even last year he was up for it. I think this year he’s setting himself apart. I know we’ve got a lot more games down the road, but as long as he stays consistent, stays healthy, for sure ... I think his game has leveled up.”
Familiar foes
Glenn spent the final season of his 15-year playing career in New Orleans, where Sean Payton was his head coach in 2008. He returned to the Saints eight years later, serving as Payton's defensive backs coach for five seasons.
The two will square off Sunday for the first time as opposing head coaches.
“I owe a lot of my coaching development to Sean,” Glenn said. “I think he’s a hell of a coach. ... He’s one of the guys that I love everything about who he is and what he’s about and I’m looking forward to competing against him.”
Payton recalled speaking to Glenn for about 20 minutes the night before the former cornerback took the job with Jets in January. The two haven't chatted since, but might have a few moments to catch up before the game.
“He’s a tremendous coach," Payton said. “He was a huge asset to us in New Orleans. I’ve said this before, as a head coach you love to see guys get these opportunities. ... Aaron’s getting things built there.”
Roll or rut?
After starting last week with seven punts in eight possessions, the Broncos scored on all three of their fourth-quarter drives with the 18 unanswered points producing the win at Philadelphia.
So, is Denver’s offense on a roll or in a rut?
“Our defense just continued to make a stop,” Nix said. “We just kind of had some hope, had some life there at the end of the game, and we just kept chipping away, found things that worked, and eventually put some touchdown drives together.
“It’s tough to win games like that.”
Tough takeaways
The Jets' defense is making dubious history this season.
They're the first NFL team to have no takeaways through the first five games since 1933, when turnovers were first tracked, according to ESPN Research. The only team since 1960 to go six straight at any point without a takeaway was the 2018 San Francisco 49ers, according to Sportradar.
“It has to be a conscious thing,” linebacker Jamien Sherwood said. “It can’t just be going in there and making the tackle. You have to go in there with the mindset that I’m going to make the tackle and punch the ball out. When the ball goes up in the air, I’m going to go up and get it. I’m going to be the one to bring the ball down."
___
AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton contributed to this report.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
