Jets at Broncos in Week 5 Will Be Must-Watch After Tuesday’s War of Words

Get your popcorn ready for this AFC battle in early October.

While more than 40 days remain until the first regular season game, NFL preseason action begins in a week and there has been no shortage of compelling storylines and fiery exchanges out of the Jets and Broncos training camps. In recent years, both AFC teams have been among the NFL’s laughingstocks.

However, Denver and New York are expected to make huge strides in ’23 as the Broncos hired coach Sean Payton and the Jets landed four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback this offseason. In addition to Rodgers, former Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett enters his first season as the Jets offensive coordinator. And as luck would have it, the two sides face off early in the upcoming season in what looks like a must-watch game after this week. 

While all things appear glamorous in New York, Payton recently took a few shots a Hackett’s coaching tenure in Denver as well as all the publicity coming out of New York ahead of the season. An overwhelming majority point to Russell Wilson’s struggles as the downfall to the franchise in the Mile High City.

But, Payton recently told USA TODAY Sports that his current team had a “poor offensive line” last season and that Hackett delivered “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL.” Even more, Payton added that the Jets spent a great deal of “time” seeking to win this year’s offseason and that it will backfire on the franchise in the upcoming season.

Orr: Sean Payton’s Verbal Execution of Nathaniel Hackett Is a Snake Move

“The PR, the pomp and circumstance, marching people around and all this stuff," Payton said. “We’re not doing any of that. The Jets did that this year. You watch. ‘Hard Knocks,’ all of it. I can see it coming. Remember when [former Washington owner] Dan Snyder put that Dream Team together? … That team won eight games or whatever. So, listen … just put the work in.”

After being asked to comment on Payton’s comments, Saleh delivered his own on Thursday, keeping the focus on his team and when the two franchises play each other this season.

“I’m not going to acknowledge Sean [Payton] … he can say whatever the hell he wants,” Saleh said. “Obviously we’re doing something right if you’ve gotta talk about us when we don’t play until [Week 5]. … There are a lot of crows pecking at our neck.”

There are a lot of big games through the first four to five weeks of the season. And, the Broncos-Jets on Oct. 8 in Denver is one that should be highlighted with popcorn on site.