JETS 31 - BRONCOS 21
It was not pretty.
In the closing seconds of the first half, the Jets trailed the Denver Broncos 13-8. Zach Wilson unwisely threw a pass in the middle of the field to Tyler Conklin that the tight end hauled in, but the clocked, with 14 seconds to go, was quickly ticking away. The Jets took forever to get to the line, and Wilson seemed unaware of the situation. By the time the Jets got set, the clock hit triple zero.
And that is how a first half full of mistakes came to an end for the Jets.
From bad penalties, to an inability to slow down the Broncos early in the contest, to Zach Wilson looking skittish again in the pocket, the Jets trailed 13-8 at the half. The game looked like it was heading for disaster.
Whatever the Jets did at halftime, they looked like a totally different team in the second half. And all they had to do was hand the ball over to their man, Breece Lightning. Breece Hall silenced the Denver crowd when he took the opening hand-off of the second half and went flying down the right sideline for a 72-yard touchdown to put the Jets up 15-13.
Just like that momentum swung the Jets way.
The Jets defense tightened as they forced Denver into four punts and a fumble that led to a Jets field goal to make it 21-13.
Meanwhile Hall kept grinding out the Broncos. By the end of the day the Iowa State product had 177 yards on the ground. He carried the Jets when they needed him the most. Robert Saleh said they would let him loose, and did they ever.
Still this game wasn't without drama. On one drive late in the contest we got the good Zach Wilson, and the bad Zach Wilson. The good Zach Wilson connected with Conklin on a huge 37-yard completion that converted a critical third and four at the Jets own 31-yard line with 3:56 to go.
However, the bad Wilson showed up a little later when he tossed a pick into the hands of Patrick Surtain II to give Russell Wilson one last shot.
That is when the Jets defense stood tallest.
On a second and six at the Denver 29, Wilson was sacked by Jets linebacker Quincy Williams to slow down Denver's momentum. Two plays later, Williams was at the feet of Wilson, and tripped up the former Super Bowl MVP. The ball bounced out of Wilson's hands, and was scooped up by another Hall, Bryce Hall, who glided down the sideline for the game clincher.
Jets 31 - Broncos 21.
The place cleared out!
Sweet revenge for Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
Sweet revenge for Breece Hall, who had his season end in this same stadium exactly one year ago.
The Jets are 2-3, their season is still very much alive.
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