Lowly Jets remain winless
Key penalties, late mistakes send New York to 0-4 start
Melvin Gordon sealed the Denver Broncos’ first win of the season with a 43yard touchdown run with 1:48 remaining, and the defense made just enough plays in the fourth quarter to beat the lowly — and still winless — New York Jets 37-28 on Thursday night.
Both teams came in looking to avoid starting 0-4 in consecutive seasons, but the Broncos (1-3) came out on top in a sloppy, penalty-filled but strangely entertaining game between two of the NFL’S worst teams.
On third-and-6 and the Jets leading by one, Quinnen Williams sacked Brett Rypien — but grabbed the quarterback’s helmet and prolonged the drive. Seven plays later, Brandon Mcmanus kicked a 53-yard field goal to give Denver the lead at 30-28 with 3:08 remaining.
The Jets couldn’t do anything on their next possession, and Sam Darnold was sacked by Bradley Chubb on fourth-and-3 to give the Broncos the ball back at the two-minute warning. Chubb had 21⁄ sacks,
2 and Denver finished with six.
Gordon ended New York’s chances with his long rumble that sent the Jets to consecutive 0-4 starts for the first time in franchise history. The heat on coach Adam Gase’s seat will surely be turned up even more after this latest embarrassment. New York was penalized 11 times, including six personal fouls.
The Jets were actually in position to win after Pierre Desir, having a rough game in coverage, redeemed himself a bit by picking off Rypien — whose arm was hit by Tarell Basham as he threw — and returning it 35 yards for a touchdown. Darnold’s pass into the end zone on the two-point try was incomplete, leaving the Jets trailing by two at 27-25 with 10:45 remaining.
Brian Poole then intercepted Rypien, making his first NFL start, on the Broncos’ next possession, giving the Jets the ball at Denver’s 44. That led to Sam Ficken’s fifth field goal of the game, a 36-yarder that put New York ahead 28-27 with 6:28 remaining.
Rypien, the nephew of 1992 Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien, finished 19 for 31 for 242 yards and two TDS.