Well they finally did it. The Denver Broncos picked up their first win Thursday night as they took down the New York Jets 37-28.
With Drew Lock out the Broncos looked towards 2019 UDFA, Brett Rypien, to lead the offense. Luckily for Rypien he also has a Pro-Bowl running back to help relieve some pressure off him. Melvin Gordon led the game with 107 rushing yards and two touchdowns, including a game ceiling 43-yard touchdown burst with under two minutes left in the game.
The game looked to be one of the worst played all season long, at least on paper, but sometimes two wrongs make a right. Sam Darnold got things going for the Jets by taking it himself on a 46-yard touchdown run.
Sadly though it wouldn’t take too much longer for Darnold to go down with an injury. Alexander Johnson blitzed through the offensive line and threw the quarterback down onto his shoulder, forcing Joe Flacco to enter the game. After a holding penalty the Jets were quickly looking at 3rd & 30, thus killing the drive.
Jerry Jeudy would help Denver respond back by completely “mossing” Pierre Desir for a 48-yard touchdown. That would be the first career NFL touchdown for both Jeudy and Rypien, while also giving the Broncos a 10-7 lead.
Pierre Desir would get his revenge a few drives later though. On just the second play of the drive Desir toe dragged a pass intended for DaeSean Hamilton at the Jets 37. This would lead to the start of a very long night for the Jet’s kicker Sam Ficken. He would tie the game at 10-10 after knocking down a 26-yard field goal.
A penalty lead drive helped the Broncos push in a 1-yard touchdown run from Melvin Gordon. Denver looked to be pulling away from the Jets before Pierre Desir’s second interception of the night. This time he took 35-yards back to the house for a pick-six putting the Jets within two points.
Just four plays later Rypien would be intercepted again, this time by Brian Poole, setting up Sam Ficken to give the Jets their first lead since early in the second quarter. These are the New York Jets though, and with a chance to get into field goal range, they give up a sack on 4th down. This was one of Bradley Chubb’s 2.5 sacks on the day.
“Winning has cured more ills than penicillin” – Vic Fanigo
Brett Rypien threw for 242 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in his first career win. Without Courtland Sutton the Broncos receiving core has had to step up the past few weeks. Tim Patrick had a game high 113 yards and a touchdown on six receptions. Jerry Jeudy also finished the game with two receptions for 61 yards.
Sam Darnold finished the game with a sprained shoulder, 314 total yards and one rushing touchdown. Though Darnold led the team in rushing yards, Frank Gore led the way with 13 rushing attempts. Jamison Crowder had a game high seven receptions for 107 yards.
New York will look for their first victory of the season as they take on the 2-1 Arizona Cardinals at MetLife Stadium. As for the Broncos, they will travel to Foxborough to take on the 2-1 New England Patriots.
