The Denver Broncos improved to 4-2 after edging out the New York Jets 13-11 in a gritty defensive battle on Sunday. While the performance was far from polished, head coach Sean Payton expressed pride in his team’s toughness and resiliency despite the offensive struggles.
“I’m proud of how our guys fought this week, really the last three weeks,” Payton told Troy Renck of The Denver Post. “It wasn’t perfect, but we found a way.”
The Broncos’ defense once again carried the day, recording nine sacks on Jets quarterback Justin Fields and holding New York to just -10 net passing yards, one of the lowest totals in modern NFL history. The Jets’ points came entirely from field goals and a safety, as Denver’s pass rush dictated the tempo from start to finish.
Offensively, the Broncos were inconsistent. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix finished with 174 passing yards and a touchdown, but couldn’t sustain long drives. Running back JK Dobbins was bottled up for most of the game, managing only 40 yards on 14 carries. Still, Denver did just enough to secure the win and extend New York’s losing streak to 0-6.
For Payton, the victory is part of a larger cultural shift he’s been instilling since his arrival in Denver, one rooted in physicality and mental toughness. According to linebacker Nik Bonitto, the demanding approach is finally paying dividends.
“Add that to a hard-nosed offense that played with balance, if not unbelievable production this week—but one that leaned on its ground game to close out the Eagles last week—and you see the Parcellsian image that Payton’s tried to create in Denver,” wrote Sports Illustrated.
Bonitto agreed, emphasizing how grueling training camp set the tone for their resurgence. “One-hundred percent,” Bonitto said. “How camp was run, it was the craziest I’ve ever been a part of. That’s always going to make us tougher. He always says build that callous for the team—that’s what he’s doing. Even though we may have had a slow start, it’s starting to show now.”
That foundation is starting to define the Broncos’ identity, one that relies on suffocating defense and relentless effort.
Denver’s next challenge comes against the New York Giants in Week 7, where Payton hopes to see continued improvement from his offense to complement the team’s ferocious defense.
