“I was pretty shocked when they told us after the game,” Bonitto said. “That’s pretty funny.”

Yet, when the third quarter ended, the Broncos’ struggles on offense and special teams left them trailing 11-10. They had fumbled on their first offensive series. They surrendered a 72-yard kickoff return. They had a holding penalty in the end zone for a safety. And after their only touchdown of the game in the first quarter, they ventured inside the Jets’ 40-yard line just once.

But the swarming pass rush — bolstered by a versatile and physical secondary, with Surtain as the hub of the coverage wheel — took control. And it certainly had Payton’s attention in a season where the Broncos have already been in five one-score games. The Broncos have already dealt with two walk-off losses — to the Indianapolis Colts (Week 2) and Los Angeles Chargers (Week 3).

“Did I want this to be a one-score game? No, but it was,” Payton said. “So, fortunately, we’ve been able to go with what maybe last year was an Achilles’ heel. … You just hope to get through it. You’re disappointed you’re in a dogfight like that, but you’re in it, and you’ve got to figure it out.”

The Jets scored field goals on their first two possessions. Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin fumbled at Denver’s 37-yard line, leading to one. Then they allowed a 72-yard kickoff return to Kene Nwangwu, giving New York the ball at the Broncos’ 24-yard line for another. But the Jets still didn’t run a play inside the Broncos’ 20 on either of those two drives, and the defense made its statement for the day.

Roughly three hours later, the Broncos closed the deal much the same way. The Jets had a first-and-10 at the Denver 46 with 1:56 to play, but the Broncos’ defense forced an incompletion and had two sacks on the next four plays — including a sack split by outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper and safety Brandon Jones on fourth-and-8.

play

Broncos defense comes up with game-sealing sack

Jonathon Cooper and Brandon Jones get to Justin Fields to seal the game for the Broncos.

The Broncos have given up only 31 points in the past three games combined, and they have now had three games this season in which they’ve allowed 106 net passing yards or less. They are also first in the NFL in defensive EPA. As a result, the Broncos have their best start in any of Payton’s three seasons with the team. Denver has three of its next four games against teams that were in the bottom half of the league in offense heading into this weekend’s games: the New York Giants (next Sunday), the Houston Texans (Nov. 1) and Las Vegas Raiders (Nov. 6).

“It’s almost impossible what they did,” Broncos quarterback Bo Nix said. “It was impressive. … They’d be a fun defense to watch, probably an awful defense to play against.

Nine sacks is a lot of sacks.”

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Benedet started at right tackle in place of Darnell Wright (elbow) against the Raiders before moving over to left tackle toward the end of the first half.

After the 25-24 win in Las Vegas, Johnson did not state whether Jones had been benched but rather that the midgame tackle switch was predicated on wanting to get rookie Ozzy Trapilo “some snaps.”

Trapilo took over at right tackle once Benedet moved to left tackle.

Jones logged 44 starts at left tackle since being drafted by Chicago in the fifth round in 2022. He was involved in a competition at left tackle throughout training camp that also featured Benedet, Trapilo and Kiran Amegadjie.

Johnson waited until the opening week of the season to announce Jones as Chicago’s starting left tackle, but left the door open for the team to make a change during the season.

“I think we’re going to have a starter Week 1, and we’ll go from there,” Johnson said in August. “I said it a few weeks ago — we feel good about the guys we have in that room. Someone’s going to take the bull by the horns and is going to completely take over. But we’re not afraid to make a change if the performance isn’t where it needs to be.”