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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- **Just as absence makes the heart grow fonder, a drought of wins would make a triumph all the sweeter.
"We might dump the Gatorade on [Head Coach Vance Joseph]," running back C.J. Anderson said. "We ain't won in two months."
Until they can recapture that winning feeling, all the Broncos have is a painful feeling that has repeated itself often, but not to the point at which the players are numb.
These individual matchups between the Broncos and Jets could decide Sunday's game.
![There probably weren't many people expecting the 38-year-old McCown to have a career year with the Jets this season, but he has smashed those expectations, as well as those that people had about the Jets' outlook. McCown has completed almost 68 percent of his passes for 2,880 yards, 18 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. He has also run for five scores as he's helped lead the Jets to a 5-7 record. "He has done an outstanding job for us on the field," Jets head coach Todd Bowles said during a Wednesday conference call. "He's like a coach on the field for us. He's a great locker room guy as well. He helps bring the team together. [He's] one of the leaders of our team. He's done wonders for us this year."Chris Harris Jr. and the rest of the "No-Fly Zone" will have to be fundamentally sound to ensure McCown stays grounded during the Jets' visit to Denver. If they can do that, the Broncos may finally put their skid to rest.](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album_2x/f_auto/broncos/wwjxjkdertpggxlm4qmh.jpg)
There probably weren't many people expecting the 38-year-old McCown to have a career year with the Jets this season, but he has smashed those expectations, as well as those that people had about the Jets' outlook. McCown has completed almost 68 percent of his passes for 2,880 yards, 18 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. He has also run for five scores as he's helped lead the Jets to a 5-7 record. "He has done an outstanding job for us on the field," Jets head coach Todd Bowles said during a Wednesday conference call. "He's like a coach on the field for us. He's a great locker room guy as well. He helps bring the team together. [He's] one of the leaders of our team. He's done wonders for us this year."Chris Harris Jr. and the rest of the "No-Fly Zone" will have to be fundamentally sound to ensure McCown stays grounded during the Jets' visit to Denver. If they can do that, the Broncos may finally put their skid to rest.
The defensive performance hasn't always been perfect this season, but if there's one area in which the Broncos have been more than solid, it's against the run game. Through 13 weeks, the Broncos allow the second fewest yards per carry of any team in the NFL. If they can continue that sort of effort again today, they'll be in good position to earn a win against Matt Forte and the New York Jets.Forte has battled a knee injury this season and hasn't been the same sort of home-run threat he was last year for the Jets. That injury seems to finally be healing, though, and Forte may be able to make a late-season push for New York. Alongside Bilal Powell and Elijah McGuire, Forte helps fuel the unit on which the offense relies. And if healthy, he can be the type of player on which the defense must key.Linebacker Todd Davis will be just one of the Denver players instrumental in slowing down the Jets' running game. The 25-year-old, who has started 10 games for the Broncos this season, has tallied 54 tackles and several key stops for the unit. If he can provide the same sort of effort, the Broncos will be in good position to continue their success that's spanned most of the season. And if that's the case, the Jets may be forced to throw the ball more than they would like. Against the "No-Fly Zone," that's a recipe for Denver success.
Despite facing Ndamukong Suh and Cameron Wake last week in Miami, the Broncos' offensive line created some success on the ground for their group of running backs, posting their best per-rush numbers since Week 8. They'll have to keep that effort up Sunday against New York for the Broncos' offense to stay balanced and dangerous. And when Trevor Siemian goes back to pass, they'll have to keep Leonard Williams away from him. Williams has 23 quarterback hits this season, but if Max Garcia can hold him at arm's length, the offense will have an easier day.
Simply put, no player has been more destructive on defense for the Jets than Demario Davis. He leads the team in tackles, sacks and tackles for loss. He also has 12 quarterback hits and three passes defensed. To keep Davis on his heels, the Broncos will need to have a balanced attack to keep the Jets defense. And to do that, Denver will need C.J. Anderson to continue the bruising effort he started against the Dolphins.
Tight ends have been dangerous against the Broncos, and Austin Seferian-Jenkins could give the defense problems with his role in the Jets' offense. Darian Stewart's physicality could be key in breaking up passes to Seferian-Jenkins and keeping him out of the end zone, which could be significant in ending the Broncos' losing streak.
"We all are sick and tired of losing," running back C.J. Anderson said. "I don't know if y'all understand how much losing bothers people because y'all are not in it. You don't feel it. It's like going to your job every day and it sucks. It just sucks.
"You're talking to other players around the league and you're seeing fun celebrations that you never got a chance to do."
But with Sunday's game and a short week before a trip to Indianapolis after that, the Broncos have an opportunity to provide some significant short-term change to their narrative.
"It's a chance to win two games in five days," Head Coach Vance Joseph said. "That's what our team is focused on."
What are the keys to taking care of the first half of that task against the Jets?
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- Avoid early mistakes**
Usually, these have been giveaways. First-half turnovers have led to touchdowns in seven of the eight losses during the Broncos' losing streak, including three that saw scores directly via interception or fumble returns by the Giants, Chiefs and Dolphins. A wayward snap in the first quarter last week in Miami also gave the Dolphins a safety that put them in front 2-0 to open the game.
Such miscues have often been the first domino to fall, sending the Broncos spiraling toward defeat, usually by double digits. Anderson knows the Broncos have to change their mindset.
"I think one is a mindset not to tell ourselves, 'Oh, here we go again. Here's another tipped interception. Here's another muffed punt. Here's another big defensive touchdown,'" Anderson said. "I guess that's the best way, the mindset, move on and go to the next play. Everyone [must] continue to do their job consistently at a high level."
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- Win the turnover battle**
The Jets are 1-5 when they have a negative turnover margin, including three consecutive losses in that scenario. Only nine teams have more giveaways than the Jets' 17 so far this season, but they have played turnover-free football in two of their last four games after having at least one giveaway in each of their first eight games to open the season.
The Broncos couldn't cure their turnover woes last week, but their secondary did rediscover its takeaway touch, as Chris Harris Jr., Justin Simmons and Bradley Roby all generated turnovers.
"The last couple of weeks we really spent a lot of time at practice emphasizing turnovers and doing different drills," Defensive Coordinator Joe Woods said. "We've been close. I remember the Cincinnati game we had a lot of balls on the ground and we just weren't able to get them. But this game, to get the turnover and the interception by Chris, to get the score by Justin -- that was big for us. It was good to see."
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- Don't let the Jets control the tempo**
One reason New York was able to turn back the Chiefs last week was because its offense was able to generate long, time-consuming drives that helped offset Kansas City's quick-strike offense and wore down the Chiefs' sagging defense. New York ran 49 times and converted 13 of 20 third-down attempts last week, keeping the Chiefs' offense in dry dock for two-thirds of the game.
If the Broncos can get the Jets' offense off the field and extend some drives of their own, they can prevent the Jets from having a vice grip on the game as they did last week.
