NY Jets: 3 keys to victory against the Denver Broncos in Week 3

2. The NY Jets young secondary needs to elevate their game

The most pleasant surprise to this point of the early season has been the Jets' secondary. The team's young defensive backfield of Bryce Hall, Brandin Echols, Javelin Guidry, Michael Carter II, and company have held their own in the opening two weeks.

Marcus Maye deserves his fair share of credit for the Jets' positive play in the secondary. Especially considering the fact, the team lost veteran defensive back Lamarcus Joyner for the season. Just like last year, Marcus Maye has been the glue that has held the back end of the team's defense together.

But on Sunday afternoon, Gang Green's secondary will be facing their stiffest challenge of the season thus far. They will be going up against Denver's talented young group of pass catchers at wide receiver and tight end.

Despite losing Jerry Jeudy, who paced the team in receiving in Week 1, Denver still boasts a multitude of quality targets in their passing game.

Some of the names for Denver might not stand out to the casual NFL fan. But people will get the know the likes of Noah Fant, K.J. Hamler, Tim Patrick, and Albert Okwuegbunam before long.

Denver has two extremely athletic tight ends and a great combination of speed and size at the receiver position.

The Jets' safeties and their young corners and linebackers will be tested heavily in Denver by this versatile group.

However, the Broncos' biggest threat in the passing game is Courtland Sutton. 'Mini Megatron,' the 6-foot-3, 216-pound stud out of SMU, missed nearly all of 2020 due to a knee injury.

But he's back with a vengeance and is coming off of a monster game last week against Jacksonville. Sutton registered nine receptions for 159 yards against the Jaguars, repeatedly beating their defense down the field, whether he was covered or not.

Sutton has the physical tools to be as dangerous as Calvin Johnson was in his prime. What's held Sutton back from fully realizing that potential has been injuries. The Jets need to find a way to keep him in check on Sunday.

The Broncos' passing attack has already shown hints of how explosive it can be in the early going of the season, as Bridgewater proved last week, throwing down the field on multiple occasions to the tune of over 300 yards.

In the past, defenses would challenge Bridgewater to throw deep into tight windows. But that game plan hasn't worked out for opposing teams so far in 2021.

Robert Saleh has a sign in the defensive meeting room that says 'Eliminate Explosive Plays.' That message must resonate this week against Denver, or the Jets will get blown out as most prognosticators expect them to.