Denver @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 10, 2017 ) N.Y. Jets 0, Denver 23

The New York Jets put up 48 points in a Week 1 win but totaled 41 points in dropping their last three contests as rookie quarterback Sam Darnold goes through some growing pains. Darnold and the Jets will try to find some consistency on offense and get back into the win column when they host the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Darnold completed 50 percent of his passes and averaged a season-low 4.91 yards per attempt in a 31-12 loss at Jacksonville last week but believes he is close to turning the corner. "Obviously, it's not the outcome we wanted, but I'm feeling more and more confident as a quarterback in the NFL," Darnold told reporters. "It was very assuring to watch the game film and see how much I've grown, but also all the stuff that I need to work on." The Broncos have plenty to work on as well after squandering a lead at home to the rival Kansas City Chiefs on Monday - their second consecutive loss after two wins to open the season - but they are not discouraged. "This team's just better - period -from a year ago," Denver cornerback Chris Harris Jr. told reporters. "We're mentally tough. Every game's been a dogfight. We've been right there. Just a couple plays, a couple little minor details, things that we can fix, and we're going to be all right."

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Even. O/U: 42.5.

ABOUT THE BRONCOS (2-2): Denver is second in the league in rushing at an average of 148.3 yards but struggled to run the ball late on Monday, when it needed to run down the play clock. The Broncos managed just six yards on the ground in the fourth quarter after totaling 153 in the first three periods. "I thought we had great plans, but the bottom line in these tough games, we have to be our best as coaches," head coach Vance Joseph told reporters. "You can call a great game for three and a half quarters, but for half a quarter, when the game is on the line, we've got to be our best. That's my job to help our players pull these games out, because our players are playing hard."

ABOUT THE JETS (1-3): Darnold and the offense are getting most of the questions, but the defense is looking for improvement as well after allowing the Jaguars 503 yards of total offense. New York is tied for third in the NFL with 10 forced turnovers but believes it can be better and is instituting weekly players-only meetings for the defense. "I think that’s something that is very subtle but it’s key and it’s something that we need to do, just to understand what the other guys are thinking on the defense to where we can be on the same page and to where we’re clicking on all cylinders," safety Jamal Adams said during a radio appearance on WFAN. "So, every Friday, starting this Friday, there will be a meeting just to get on the same page, man, so we can go out there and fly around and win ballgames."

EXTRA POINTS

1. Broncos RT Jared Veldheer (knee) and P Marquette King (thigh) are questionable.

2. Jets RB Isaiah Crowell was held to zero yards on four carries last week after rushing for a pair of scores in Week 3.

3. Denver shut out New York 23-0 at home last December - its third straight win in the series.

PREDICTION: Broncos 24, Jets 17