Breece Hall rushed for a career-high 177 yards and a touchdown and Greg Zuerlein kicked five field goals to fuel the visiting New York Jets to a 31-21 victory over the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
Hall scampered for a go-ahead, 72-yard touchdown early in the third quarter. The score was his first since he rushed for a 62-yard touchdown prior to sustaining a torn ACL in the Jets’ 16-9 win over the host Broncos on Oct. 23, 2022.
Zach Wilson completed 19 of 26 passes for 199 yards before he was intercepted by Patrick Surtain II deep in Denver territory with 2:20 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The Broncos’ bid to complete the rally was thwarted after Russell Wilson was sacked by Quincy Williams, with Bryce Hall scooping up the loose ball and sprinted 39 yards for a touchdown.
Zuerlein made kicks from 30, 26, 27, 22 and 49 yards to help the Jets (2-3) snap a three-game losing skid.
Denver rookie Jaleel McLaughlin rushed for 68 yards and added three catches for 21 yards and a touchdown with fellow running back Javonte Williams (quad) inactive for the contest.
Russell Wilson went 20-for-31 for 196 yards and tossed two touchdowns, including a 3-yarder to tight end Adam Trautman, for the Broncos (1-4).
With Denver nursing a 13-8 lead, Hall raced up the middle and shifted to his right before leaving defenders in his dust and reaching the end zone just 1:31 into the second half.
Zuerlein tacked on the ensuing extra point and converted a trio of field goals to extend New York’s advantage to 24-13 with 7:27 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Trautman’s touchdown and Michael Burton’s two-point conversion run trimmed the deficit to three points with 4:44 to play.
Zuerlein’s 30-yard field goal gave New York its first points in the first quarter this season.
McLaughlin capped the Broncos’ ensuing drive with a 22-yard touchdown catch off a screen. McLaughlin initially bobbled the ball before streaking toward the goal line for his second receiving touchdown in as many weeks.
The Jets halved their deficit to 7-5 with 4:24 remaining in the first quarter after Russell Wilson was whistled for intentional grounding in the end zone.
Wil Lutz sandwiched 23- and 22-yard field goals around a 26-yard kick from Zuerlein in the second quarter to extend the Broncos’ advantage to 13-8 by halftime.
–Field Level Media