The Broncos became the first team to beat the Eagles in 2025 in Week 5 and they’re facing a team that hasn’t won a game yet this season in Week 6, which is the kind of situation that leads to people wondering if they could fall victim to the so-called “trap game” in London on Sunday.
Quarterback Bo Nix rejected the idea that their matchup with the Jets should be described that way, however. Nix said the Jets have “been close on some games” during their 0-5 start and that no professional team should be viewed as a walkover opponent.
“I think in the league, quite honestly, it’s a little disrespectful to consider anybody a trap team,” Nix said, via 104.3 The Fan. “They’re an NFL team, and they’re going to have some really good players on their defense, and it’s not really a trap game. I think any game you can walk in and slip up and lose, that’s just the league. If you’re not careful in a way, all of them could be because they’re that good of an opponent.”
The Broncos took a step forward by making the playoffs last season and that led to higher expectations coming into this year. That, in turn, leads to being part of more games that you’re expected to win and part of reaching those expectations is remembering that you can’t take any wins for granted in the NFL.
The Broncos have known that Nik Bonitto is an elite pass rusher since they drafted him in the second round in 2022. But this season, the whole NFL is noticing.
Bonitto has been named the AFC defensive player of the week after he recorded 2.5 sacks in Denver’s 21-17 win over Philadelphia. It’s Bonitto’s first player of the week award.
The Broncos signed the 26-year-old Bonitto to a four-year, $106 million contract extension just before the start of the regular season, and his play this year has justified the team’s investment in him. He now has an NFL-high seven sacks through five weeks of the season.
Bonitto is one of the NFL’s best defensive players, and he’s on his way to his best season.
The Broncos are getting some depth back along their defensive line.
Denver has opened the 21-day practice window for defensive tackle Malcolm Roach, the club announced on Wednesday.
Roach participated in the Broncos’ practice in England on Wednesday. He has been on injured reserve with a calf injury.
“He had good work today,” head coach Sean Payton said in his press conference, via Aric DiLalla of the team’s website.
Roach appeared in 17 games with one start last season. He recorded 43 total tackles with five tackles for loss, eight QB hits, and 2.5 sacks.
The Broncos’ full Wednesday injury report will be released later in the day.
The Jets will not have wide receiver Allen Lazard in the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Broncos in London.
Head coach Aaron Glenn said in a press conference from London on Wednesday that Lazard did not travel with the team. Glenn cited a personal issue for why Lazard is not on the trip and is out for Sunday.
Lazard has four catches for 24 yards and a touchdown this season.
Glenn said earlier this week that cornerback Michael Carter would not travel with the Jets because he was in the concussion protocol, but left the door open for him to meet the team in England. Glenn said on Wednesday that is unlikely to happen and that the team is planning to be without Carter this weekend.
NFL games are continuing to draw massive TV audiences.
CBS drew 19.6 million viewers on Sunday for its Broncos-Eagles broadcast window, according to Austin Karp of Sports Business Journal. That is the best audience for a CBS singleheader window since 2013.
Most of the audience came from the Broncos-Eagles game, although the 19.6 million figure also includes the smaller number of CBS affiliates that showed Ravens-Texans and Giants-Saints.
TV audience measurements have changed to count more viewers watching games outside their homes, so comparisons of the 2025 season and the 2013 season are imperfect. Still, 19.6 million viewers is an audience that only football can provide, and another reminder of why the NFL is eager to re-open negotiations for its TV rights deals, which are lucrative for the league’s broadcast partners and which the NFL wants to make even more lucrative for the league.
