Jets Head Home to face Broncos

Brett Favre NY Jets Quarterback

The Denver Broncos (6-5) head to New York to face the red-hot New York Jets (8-3)

After impressive back-to-back road victories over the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans, the Jets head home to face the AFC West division leading Denver Broncos. The Jets have won five games in a row and seven of their last eight games.

The Denver Broncos suffered a 31-10 loss at home to the Oakland Raiders last week after winning two consecutive road games. The Broncos (6-5) hold a two-game lead atop the AFC West with five weeks remaining in the NFL 2008 regular season.

The Broncos own a 15-14-1 all-time regular-season record against the Jets, including a 6-7-1 mark on the road.

The two clubs last met in 2005 with the Broncos earning a 27-0 victory in Denver. For the game, Denver RB Mike Anderson rushed for 113 yards & scored 3 TDs. The Broncos defense allowed the Jets only 195 yards, forced 5 turnovers & posted first shutout since 1997.

Denver Broncos (6-5) at New York Jets (8-3)

The Broncos are 1-0 against the Jets in postseason games. The Broncos defeated the Jets 23 - 10 in the 1998 AFC Championship Game (Mile High Stadium, Denver).

The QBs: Brett Favre & Jay Cutler

Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler faces Jets QB Brett Favre for the second time in their careers. Favre -- the NFLs all-time leader in career passing yards (64,116) and TD passes (462) -- led the Green Bay Packers to a 19-13 overtime in Denver on Oct. 29, 2007, when the two QBs first matched up.

Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler starts against Jets QB Brett Favre for the second time in his career. Favre -- the NFLs all-time leader in career passing yards (64,116) and TD passes (462) -- led the Green Bay Packers to a 19-13 overtime in Denver on Oct. 29, 2007, when the two QBs first matched up.

In that game, Cutler completed 21-of-34 passes for 264 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions for 95.7 passer rating in that game. Favre finished that contest completing 21-of-27 passes for 331 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 142.4 passer rating.

In his third NFL season, Cutler has played two full seasons (32 starts). A comparison between Cutler and Favre over their first 32 starts reveals that Cutler has more passing yards (7,534-6,995), touchdown passes (48-39) and a higher passer rating (87.7-78.1) than Favre through his first 32 starts.

NFL 2008 Week 12: New York Jets 34 Tennessee Titans 13

In NFL 2008 Week 12, the New York Jets handed the Titans their first loss of the season, delivering a 34-13 defeat. The Jets totaled 409 yards and controlled the ball on offense for 40 minutes and 30 seconds. Brett Favre completed 25 of 32 passes for 224 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Thomas Jones led all runners with 96 yards on 27 attempts. Leon Washington added 82 yards and a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns on eight carries.

The Jets drove 76 yards on their opening possession to take a 7-0 lead. Favre completed all six of his pass attempts on the drive, including a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jones.

Meanwhile, the Jets defense was solid as the Titans offense struggled to run the ball and sustain drives, particularly in the first half, during which they totaled five first downs and 88 yards on offense. The Titans finished the game with only 11 rushing attempts, including 10 carries by Chris Johnson for 46 yards.

The Titans had a pair of opportunities in the first half but were unable to capitalize. On the last play of the first quarter, Titans defensive end Jevon Kearse stripped the ball from Washington, and defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson recovered it. However, the Titans went three-and-out on the ensuing possession. They quickly forced another turnover, as cornerback Cortland Finnegan intercepted a pass intended for Laveranues Coles. But again, the Jets defense forced a three-and-out, and when their offense got the ball back they marched downfield for a 20-yard field goal by Jay Feely to go up 10-0.

The Titans finally got on the scoreboard with less than a minute remaining in the second quarter when Rob Bironas connected on a 43-yard field goal attempt.

The Jets scored on all four of their second-half possessions, beginning with a 30-yard field goal by Feely to cap their opening drive in the third quarter. On Tennessee's first play from scrimmage in the half, Johnson gained 11 yards before Abram Elam forced a fumble that was recovered by Bryan Thomas. Eight plays later, Coles was in the end zone with a two-yard touchdown reception from Favre.

The Jets offense has scored a franchise-record 115 points (38.3 points per game) in the last three games, has averaged a leaguehigh 33.0 points per game over the last eight contests and has scored an NFL-best 38 touchdowns this season, led by a careerbest 11 from Thomas Jones.

Brett Favre has completed 65-of-84 passes in the last three (77.4 percent, his best three-game stretch of his career), for 649 yards, five touchdowns and one interception for 113.6 rating.

The Jets defense is third in sacks (35), third in rush defense (78.0 yards per game) and fourth in rush yards per carry allowed (3.4).

NFL 2008 Week 12: Oakland Raiders 31 Denver Broncos 10

After winning two consecutive games on the road, the Broncos suffered a 31-10 loss at home to the Oakland Raiders last week. The Denver Broncos held the Raiders to 123 yards of offense and just 2.9 yards per rush in the first half, but Oakland broke open a 10-10 tie early in the third quarter by scoring touchdowns on three consecutive drives.

Oakland scored 21 answered points to break a 10-10 tie in the third quarter to hand Denver its third consecutive home defeat. The Raiders converted their first seven third-down attempts in the second half and relied on a running game that totaled 41 carries for 158 yards with two touchdowns.

JaMarcus Russell completed his first 10 passes of the game for Oakland and finished with a 149.1 passer rating (10-11, 152 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs).

Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler threw for 204 yards and reached the 3,000-yard passing mark for the year, tying John Elway (1987) for the fastest (11 games) in club history to that total. His 11-game streak with at least one touchdown pass, which was the fifth longest streak in club annals, came to the end against Oakland, which held Denver to 4.9 yards per play (65-319).

Despite the loss, the Denver Broncos maintained their two-game lead for first place in the AFC West over the Chargers, who fell to 4-7 on the season after their 23-20 home loss to Indianapolis on Sunday night. Denver has held the division lead following every week this NFL 2008 season, marking only the second time in Broncos team history (1997) that it has been alone in first place through each of its first 11 games of an NFL season.

Denver Broncos (6-5)

    QB JAY CUTLER has 48 TDs in 32 career games & needs 2 TDs to reach 50 in fewest games in Broncos history (BRIAN GRIESE & JAKE PLUMMER, 34 career games). Club is 9-0 when Cutler has 100+ passer rating

    Rookie FB PEYTON HILLIS (7th round, No. 227) aims for 3rd consecutive game with rush TD. Hillis averages 12.9 yards per reception (13 rec., 168 yards)

    WR BRANDON MARSHALL is averaging 88.7 rec. yards per game in NFL 2008 (67 rec., 887 yards in 10 games). Marshall has 80+ receiving yards in each of past 3. Rookie WR EDDIE ROYAL (2nd round, No. 42) leads NFL rookies with 58 catches. WRs Marshall (67 rec., 887 receiving yards) & Royal (58 rec., 673 receiving yards) have totaled 125 receptions for 1,560 yards

    TE TONY SCHEFFLER averages 17.3 yards per reception (21 rec., 363 yards) in NFL 2008

    CBs CHAMP BAILEY (43) & DRE' BLY (39) rank 1st & 2nd among CBs for most INTs since '99

New York Jets (8-3)

    The Jets aim for their 6th consecutive win for the 1st time since 2000

    In past 3 games, QB BRETT FAVRE has completed 65 of 84 passes (77.4 pct.) for 649 yards with 5 TDs vs. 1 INT & 113.6 passer rating. Including postseason, Favre's teams are 97-8 (.924) when he posts 100+ passer rating. In last meeting against Den. (w/the Green Bay Packers on 10/29/07), Favre completed 21 of 27 passes (77.8 pct.) for 331 yards with 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs & 142.4 passer rating

    RB THOMAS JONES leads AFC with 950 rush yards & is averaging 116.3 rush yards per game in past 3 (349 total). Jones has 10 TDs in past 7 (8 rush, 2 rec.) & aims for 6th consecutive game with TD. Jones averages 121.5 rush yards per game when posting 20+ attempts. in NFL 2008 (609 total in 5 games). RB LEON WASHINGTON has 4 TDs in past 2 (2 rush, 1 rec., 1 KR)

    WR LAVERANUES COLES averages 94 receiving yards per game in past 2 against Den

    In past 3, rookie TE DUSTIN KELLER (1st round, No. 30) has 20 receptions for 236 receiving yards (11.8 avg.) with 1 TD. Keller has 16 1st-down receptions in past 3

    LB CALVIN PACE (5) needs 2 sacks to surpass career-high (6.5 in 2007 w/Arizona)

    Since '01, Jets lead NFL with 11 KR-TDs.

PREDICTION: Jets 34 Broncos 14

Don't expect the Broncos to cool-off these red-hot New York Jets.

Jay Cutler and the Broncos offense are a force to be reckoned with and will not be looking ahead this week. But the Jets are a focused and confident group.

After impressive victories over both the Titans and Patriots on the road no less, the Jets appear to have captured the confidence that propelled the Giants last year.

Jets' fans will welcome home their conquering heroes and provide the big lift. That lift will inspire Brett Favre and crew. These Jets have proven they are no fluke and they are not about to take it easy.

Jets Head Home to face Broncos - NFL 2008