Jets Dominate Broncos in 22-10 Victory : New York Wins Fifth Straight; NFL Has No Unbeaten Teams

Take a strong pass rush, add an unyielding run defense, throw in tight coverage in the secondary and linebackers who always are in position. Mix in the highly charged atmosphere of playing on Monday night and the return of two stars to the offensive lineup.

The New York Jets used that formula to near-perfection at Giants Stadium Monday night as they knocked the Denver Broncos from the NFL’s unbeaten ranks with a 22-10 victory.

“I think we can be as good as we want to be,” defensive end Marty Lyons said. “Tonight, we were better than Denver; next week, we have to be better than New Orleans. We can’t stop.”

They didn’t stop Monday, constantly pressuring Denver quarterback John Elway, not allowing the Broncos to get a running game going and holding the NFL’s highest-scoring team over the first six weeks to 24 total yards and two first downs in the opening half, when the Jets built a 22-0 lead.

“This is as close as we’ve been to putting it all together,” said defensive end Mark Gastineau, who had one of five New York sacks. “Everything clicked on offense and defense.”

The Jets’ attack benefited from the return of quarterback Ken O’Brien, who hit Wesley Walker with a 23-yard touchdown pass in the second period, and halfback Freeman McNeil. But backup quarterback Pat Ryan led them to their first 13 points, and McNeil’s backup, Johnny Hector, once again was superb in the backfield.

But it was the defense’s overwhelming superiority that set the tone.

“That’s what a team is all about,” Gastineau said. “You go out and complement each other. It’s great we could do it against a team as good as Denver.”

Both teams are 6-1, the best records in the AFC. The Jets have a two-game lead over the New England Patriots in the East, while Denver, which plays host to Seattle Sunday, is one game ahead of the Seahawks in the West. The Jets have won their last five games.

“I’m not going to talk about who is the best in the AFC,” Gastineau said. “Not now. It’s way too soon. I will talk about it as soon as we prove it on the field down the road.”

They did a bunch of proving on Monday, especially to Denver Coach Dan Reeves.

“They controlled the line of scrimmage right from the start, they really put it to us,” Reeves said. “They controlled the tempo.”

O’Brien, who missed New York’s last game against New England with a knee injury, came on late in the second period after Ryan was sacked by Denver’s Karl Mecklenburg. On his second play, O’Brien found Walker speeding down the right sideline behind safety Dennis Smith for the touchdown that made it 20-0.

By then, the Jet defense had established its dominance. The Jets, ranked fourth in the NFL against the rush, never allowed the Broncos to get moving.

They pressured Elway, sacking him five times, allowed only 34 yards rushing and controlled Denver’s passing attack, even though the Jets ranked next-to-last in pass defense entering the game. The Broncos came into the seventh weekend of the season with the league’s most productive offense with 179 points.

Although it sputtered in the second half, the Jets’ offense already had put the game out of reach. Led by Ryan, the Jets put together time-consuming drives of 65, 56 and 49 yards in the first half.

Pat Leahy kicked field goals of 27 and 25 yards, giving him 22 consecutive successful kicks, one short of the NFL record set by former Washington kicker Mark Moseley.

Hector ran one yard for a touchdown to account for New York’s other touchdown. It was Hector’s seventh of the season.

With 30 seconds remaining in the half, Elway was sacked by cornerback Bobby Humphery in the end zone for a safety, making it 22-0.

Rich Karlis barely made a 47-yard field goal early in the third period, then Elway got the Broncos to the New York eight. But he was intercepted by a diving Kyle Clifton at the one to end that threat, and the Jets had little trouble the rest of the way.

Denver scored with 3:35 remaining on a 20-yard pass from backup quarterback Gary Kubiak to Sammy Winder after the ball had been tipped by Bronco tight end Clarence Kay.