Nix throws for 269 yards as Broncos edge Jets 20-17

East Rutherford, NJ - Bo Nix threw for 269 yards, Evan Engram delivered Denver's most productive receiving performance and the Broncos finished each of their four red-zone trips with points in a 20-17 victory over the New York Jets in Week 14.

Denver played from a narrow advantage for stretches of a game in which neither team created much separation. The Jets continued to apply pressure as the afternoon unfolded, but the Broncos protected their edge and left East Rutherford with their second consecutive victory.

Nix completed 26 of 46 passes with one touchdown and an 80.7 passer rating. He was sacked four times, but New York did not intercept him. Denver leaned heavily on the passing game, finishing with 269 yards through the air compared with 57 on the ground.

Engram gave Nix a dependable option throughout the game. The tight end caught 10 passes for a game-high 93 yards and scored Denver's receiving touchdown. Courtland Sutton added five catches for 60 yards, including a 24-yard reception that was the Broncos' longest completion.

"They made us work for everything," Nix said. "We weren't perfect, but we stayed patient and kept putting ourselves in position to get points. In a three-point game, taking care of the football is something you can build around."

RJ Harvey supplied Denver's other touchdown, rushing for a score while finishing with 36 yards on 11 carries. The Broncos converted all four of their red-zone opportunities into points, producing two touchdowns and two field goals inside the 20.

That efficiency stood out against New York's results in the same part of the field. The Jets reached the red zone five times but recorded one touchdown and one field goal on those possessions. Denver finished with 19 first downs and 326 offensive yards, narrowly ahead of New York's 17 first downs and 311 offensive yards.

"When the field gets shorter, every detail gets magnified," Engram said. "We had four chances down there, and we came away with points each time. That gave us something positive even when the game stayed tight."

New York presented a different offensive balance. The Jets rushed for 121 yards, more than twice Denver's total, while Geno Smith added 190 passing yards. Antonio Gibson led all rushers with 55 yards on 12 attempts, and Smith contributed another 40 yards on the ground.

Smith completed 18 of 39 passes with one touchdown, two interceptions and a 48.0 passer rating. Garrett Wilson caught the touchdown and paced the Jets with six receptions for 76 yards. Kenyon Sadiq added four catches for 48 yards and produced the game's longest reception at 27 yards.

"We had opportunities, especially once we got into scoring range, and we didn't get enough out of them," Smith said. "The two interceptions are on me. In a game with this kind of margin, you look at every possession and know there were chances to be better."

Talanoa Hufanga and Patrick Surtain II recorded Denver's two interceptions. Hufanga returned his pick 19 yards, while Surtain had a 20-yard return. Each defender also registered a pass deflection. The Broncos did not record a sack, making the takeaway difference one of the clearest contrasts between the defenses.

The Jets, meanwhile, finished with four sacks and held Denver to 4-for-13 on third down. New York was also limited in that category, converting 3 of 15 third-down attempts, though it went 3-for-4 on fourth down. Denver converted its only fourth-down try.

The combination produced a game that remained compressed on the scoreboard even as the teams took different routes. Denver generated most of its offense through Nix and the passing game, while New York found more room on the ground and produced the larger sack total. The Broncos nevertheless finished with the passing-yardage advantage, a clean turnover total and the 20-17 result.

Up Next

Denver will travel to face the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 15 looking to build on the victory, while New York heads west for a road matchup with the Arizona Cardinals.