New York @ Denver preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 12, 2014 ) Denver 31, N.Y. Jets 17

Josh McCown enjoyed his best performance of the season last week during what has become a career year for the journeyman quarterback. Fresh off accounting for three touchdowns to earn AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors, McCown looks to lift the New York Jets to their second straight win on Sunday when they visit the reeling Denver Broncos.

McCown passed for one touchdown and rushed for two others in the Jets' 38-31 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, a performance that perhaps aided in the decision of coach Todd Bowles naming the 38-year-old as the team's starting quarterback for the rest of the season. "When he's on the field, he's very effective," Bowles said of McCown, who looks to exploit a slumping Broncos defense that has yielded multiple touchdown passes in five straight games. That statistic among many others is why Denver has answered a promising 3-1 start with losses in eight straight, with seven of the setbacks by double digits - including four by 20 or more points. "Losing obviously is one thing, but I think the way that we've lost has been the most frustrating thing," general manager John Elway said on Denver radio station KDSP-AM 760.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Jets -1. O/U: 41.5

ABOUT THE JETS (5-7): McCown's cause has been aided greatly by undrafted free-agent wide receivers Robby Anderson and Jermaine Kearse, who have recorded at least 100 receiving yards in back-to-back games. Anderson, who has six touchdowns in his last six games, reeled in eight receptions for 107 yards versus the Chiefs but could be slowed after sustaining a hamstring injury in Thursday's practice. "I told him, 'Don't forget, 32 teams passed on you,'" Kearse said of how he lights a fire under Anderson. "That's just to remind ourselves that you work hard to get where you're at, but you never forget where you came from."

ABOUT THE BRONCOS (3-9): Trevor Siemian tossed three interceptions for the second time in as many starts in a 35-9 setback to Miami last week. "You look around the league, you see quarterbacks take their licks and I feel I've taken my fair share, no doubt, but it's all on me," the 25-year-old Siemian said of his struggles. "I've been reckless with the ball at times, made some bad throws, I can own up to that. I've got to improve, no doubt, and hopefully I do." Denver's quarterbacks - all three of them - have been sacked a total of 39 times this season, tied for the third most in the league.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Denver WR Demaryius Thomas has totaled just 45 yards receiving in the past two games after finding the end zone in each of his previous three.

2. Kearse has a career-high 51 catches while his 677 yards are eight shy of a personal best.

3. The Broncos' offense hasn't scored more than 19 points in nine of the past 10 games.

PREDICTION: Jets 20, Broncos 16