The last time the New York Jets visited the Denver Broncos was three weeks shy of exactly one year ago. The Jets walked away with a victory that Sunday by a final of 16-9, but they lost star running back Breece Hall to a severe knee injury.

Zach Wilson wasn't particularly electric in the game going 16 for 262 for only 121 yards. 

Now the Wilson and the Jets return to Denver with Breece Hall fully healed from his knee injury looking to earn their second win of the season.

With both teams entering the game with only one win and three losses a piece, both teams are hungry for a victory.  Here are the top three storylines to watch for the Jets in this game.

Jets’ Top Storylines to Watch vs. Denver

1. Nathaniel Hackett revenge game

By now it is no secret what went down during training camps. New Broncos head coach Sean Payton took over the Denver Broncos and has wasted no time in throwing an entire coaching staff, and frankly an entire organization under the bus. The previous regime was led by current Jets offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett.

In an interview with USA Today, Payton described everything that went wrong in the Broncos’ disappointing 2022 campaign.

“It doesn’t happen often where an NFL team or organization gets embarrassed,” Payton said. “And that happened here. Part of it was their own fault, relative to spending so much (expletive) time trying to win the offseason — the PR, the pomp and circumstance, marching people around and all this stuff.”

Well, it is time for Sean Payton to put up or shut up. His Denver Broncos have looked embarrassing this season thus far, with the crown jewel of that humiliation being a 70-20 loss to the Miami Dolphins in week 3. The Broncos eked out a win against the sinking ship that is the Chicago Bears.

Sean Payton has since walked backed his comments, but his true colors are on full display, much like his record without hall of famer Drew Brees under center (10-12 since Brees retired), and both are ugly.

Hackett did not dismiss the comments entirely, but neither did he harp on them. "Sometimes things are said that are totally uncalled for, and it does bring your team together. I think that's a beautiful thing," Hackett said. "I was probably more surprised that they happened now. I was definitely expecting them in Week Five. Almost thankful we got that out of the way; I understand the way certain people feel and think."

Hackett has the ability to add injury to Payton’s insult by putting up points with Zach Wilson at QB against essentially the same team that he left in Denver.

2. How does the defense function without D.J. Reed?

Earlier this week it was revealed that star cornerback D.J. Reed was experiencing concussion symptoms and had entered the league’s concussion protocol.

Reed didn’t clear protocol according to coach Robert Saleh who on Friday ruled him out of the game in Denver. Saleh had previously said on Wednesday that he expected Reed to clear the protocol and play.

It’s a major loss for the Jets, who will be without one of their most important defenders in coverage against a talented Broncos receiving group in a must-win game.

“It is [big] because D.J. is a special football player and he alleviates some of the pressure of trying to be perfect [in coverage] with regards to matchups because you feel comfortable about all of your matchups when him and Sauce are on the field,” Saleh said. “Anytime you don’t have a player like him out there you’re a little behind the 8-ball, but we’ll be alright.”

The Jets also ruled out their top backup cornerback Brandin Echols on Friday, making things worse for New York.

The Jets are supposed to get a little relief in the return of safety Tony Adams, who missed the last two games with a hamstring injury.

The Jets could move nickel cornerback Michael Carter II outside and move Adams into the slot. If not Adams, veteran Bryce Hall could also fill in for Reed, but he’s struggled at times over the past two years when put in the game as opposing offenses have targeted him.

The Jets will need Adams, Carter and Hall to step up because the Broncos will look to throw away from Sauce Gardner. The pass rush will also need to pick up the slack.

3. Will the Jets offense be able to build on their decent Sunday Night performance?

No primetime spotlight. No juggernaut opponent. No home field energy. No Taylor Swift. 

Whatever lit a fire under the Jets offense (I say fire, but it was only 20 points) had better be something internal because the circumstances for this game will not be the same as last week.

Zach Wilson, and frankly the Jets offense, looked 100x better than they had the previous three games. If not for a fluke fumbled snap and some questionable calls by the officiating, the Jets might have had a chance to pull off the upset over the defending champs.

Wilson was an efficient 28 for 39 for 245 and two touchdowns. The Jets offense was not a predictable run, run, pass then punt and Wilson took advantage. The offense won’t get too much resistance from a Broncos defense which ranks dead last in the NFL, giving up an astounding 461.5 yards and 37.5 points per game this season.

They also traded one of their best defenders this week, sending Randy Gregory to the San Francisco 49ers for a late round pick.

The Jets have not held a lead for one snap so far this season which is an extraordinary fact about this season. They will look to change that and let their defense play with a lead for the first time this season.

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Week 5 shouldn’t be a must-win game for any team, but if the Jets have any aspirations of ending their 12-year playoff drought, this is a game they simply have to have. Following this game, they welcome the defending NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles before the bye week.

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