3 Takeaways from Broncos' Week 5 Loss vs. Jets

The Denver Broncos suffered their fourth defeat in five weeks at the hands of the New York Jets on Sunday.

The Broncos failed to build on any momentum they might have gained in last week's comeback win, and every time they seemed to wrest momentum away from the Jets, they gave it right back.

Denver took a 7-3 lead in the first quarter but then gave the Jets two points and the ball with a safety. The Broncos picked off Zach Wilson late in the fourth quarter down three, but then gave away the game with a sack-fumble that was returned for a touchdown.

It's becoming clear that the Broncos will struggle to win consistently in 2023, thanks in large part to their own mistakes and inconsistencies. If that wasn't apparent before Sunday's 31-21 loss at home to the up-and-down Jets, it's obvious now.

Here's what else we learned during the Broncos Week 5 loss to New York.

Run Defense Is Still a Massive Problem

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Broncos DE tries tackling Jets RB Breece Hall

Plenty has been made of defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and his lackluster unit—one that came in allowing a league-high 37.5 points per game.

Denver's defense was a little better against the Jets, surrendering just 22 points to the New York offense. It also secured a potential game-altering interception late in the fourth quarter—though a Broncos turnover a few plays later sealed the Broncos' defeat.

However, the Broncos' struggles against the run did not dissipate.

Breece Hall ran around, over and through the Denver D to the tune of 177 yards and a touchdown. The Jets rushed for 235 yards as a team and controlled both the tempo and the clock.

New York held the ball for more than 34 minutes. This forced Russell Wilson and the offense into multiple high-pressure situations and took away Denver's opportunity to lean on its own effective ground game.

The Broncos came in allowing an average of 5.6 yards per carry and somehow performed even worse (7.3 YPC) against the Jets. It's an issue that opposing offenses will continue to exploit until Denver shows it can stop the run. If it never does, wins will be extremely hard to come by over the final 13 weeks of the season.

The Russell Wilson-Sean Payton Marriage May Not Last

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Broncos head coach Sean Payton

The Broncos traded their 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 second-rounder for Sean Payton and a 2024 third-round pick. The move was made because Payton was expected to help Wilson return to Pro Bowl form.

Statistically, Wilson has been markedly better than he was a year ago. However, he hasn't been good enough to carry Denver to victories. On Sunday, he was largely responsible for Denver's defeat.

It was an intentional grounding call on Wilson that delivered the safety. It was a complete lack of ball security on the fourth-quarter fumble that Jets cornerback Bryce Hall returned 39 yards for the game-sealing score.

Understandably, Payton was not pleased.

"Sean Payton was NOT happy with Russell Wilson after the fumble," Zac Stevens of DNVR posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Payton likely didn't leave retirement and the broadcast booth for just a paycheck. He undoubtedly wants to win, and if he can't win with Wilson, he may push to move on from last year's prized trade acquisition and find "his QB."

And if Payton cannot go that route, he may decide that the broadcast booth is a lot more appealing than another year with a high-profile but too often inefficient quarterback.

The Broncos Have Something in Jaleel McLaughlin

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Broncos RB Jaleel McLaughlin

A week ago, running back Javonte Williams suffered a quad injury that opened the door for undrafted rookie Jaleel McLaughlin. The Youngstown State product played a big role in Denver's comeback win over the Chicago Bears, finishing with 72 rushing yards, three catches, 32 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown.

"He played really well.," head coach Sean Payton told reporters. "He's one of the guys that got a game ball this morning. He was explosive in the run and the pass."

It was fair to wonder, however, if McLaughlin's breakout performance was a fluke. Chicago played a ton of off-coverage late in that game while trying to protect a lead. Well, McLaughlin showed against New York that the Broncos may have uncovered a legitimate gem.

McLaughlin rushed for 68 yards on just nine carries—an impressive 7.6 yards-per-carry average. He also caught three passes for 21 yards and his second receiving touchdown in as many games.

With tremendous vision and anticipation, McLaughlin was one of the few truly bright spots for Denver on Sunday. That's little consolation in a loss, but at least the Broncos may have found another offensive playmaker on whom they can lean moving forward.