Denver's defense is carrying the Broncos as rookie quarterback Bo Nix slowly settles in

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Vance Joseph's defense is playing so well that even without its leading tackler, the Denver Broncos held Aaron Rodgers without a touchdown pass. Only five other times has the four-time MVP been held without a TD throw in a home game where he took every offensive snap.

The Broncos also sacked the notoriously difficult-to-sack quarterback five times in their 10-9 triumph at the stormy Meadowlands that completed a two-game sweep of their Eastern road trip and evened their record at 2-2.

“Our defense played amazing,” Bo Nix said after throwing for just 60 yards but also his first touchdown pass of his career.

The Broncos surrendered just one touchdown and three field goals on their 10-day road trip leading into a stretch in which they'll play three of four at home.

“I'll tell you what, we've got some grit and we're a tough football team,” Nix said.

Even without defensive captain Alex Singleton, whose season is over after tearing an ACL at Tampa last week.

“Yeah, it was huge to go on the road, get two tough wins against two really good football teams, two tough defenses, two tough offenses, you can’t say enough about our defense on this winning stretch,” Nix said.

A year after allowing Breece Hall to rush for 177 yards on 22 carries, including a 72-yard touchdown that put the Jets ahead for good on their way to a 31-21 win in Denver, the Broncos shut down New York's star running back.

Hall managed just 4 yards on 10 carries on Sunday, with a long run of 3 yards.

The Broncos held the Jets to 4 of 17 on third down a week after limiting the Buccaneers to 3 of 11. For the season, Denver is yielding a stellar 28.3% conversion rate.

“They’re going to continue to give us the ball back. Now, we’ve got to find ways to score, more than just a few points,” Nix said.

The five sacks included one by John Franklin-Myers, who also had a tackle for loss and two quarterback hits in his return to the Meadowlands following his offseason trade to Denver.

Replacing Singleton, who was placed on season-ending IR, inside linebacker Justin Strnad recorded his first career sack on the game's first snap.

Cody Barton called Denver's defense and led the team in tackles with 10.

“Those guys stepped up,” coach Sean Payton said Monday. “It's always difficult when you lose someone who's been as productive and certainly one of the team leaders. I was proud of the way those young guys played.”

Ben Kotwica's special teams, especially the coverage units. K Wil Lutz missed his first field-goal attempt this year in the waning minutes after making his first 10 tries, and it would have been a killer had Greg Zuerlein not followed suit, also missing from 50 yards.

“Honestly, you just got to put your hope in the defense,” Nix said. “It’s a scary sight with (Rodgers) with the ball at the end, but our defense came out today and won the game.”

The ground game finally got going and that saved the day for Denver. But the Broncos are going to need some big leaps in the passing game.

Javonte Williams finally broke out in a big way in the sloppy field conditions Sunday. He ran for 77 yards on 16 carries, and Jaleel McLaughlin followed suit with nine runs for 46 yards.

TE Greg Dulich caught zero passes and had just one pass thrown his way on the two-game swing out East. That means he has just five catches for 28 yards so far.

RB Tyler Badie (back), who collapsed on the sideline after taking a helmet to his back, flew home commercially Sunday night after being released from the hospital. “We're still evaluating him, he's doing better,” Payton said.

5 — TDs allowed by Denver through four games, the fewest in that span since 2009.

10 — different Broncos have recorded at least half a sack.

The Broncos host the Raiders, who have beaten them eight consecutive times. Take away games against each other and since 2020 the Raiders are 24-35 and the Broncos are 25-33.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

This story has been corrected to show Aaron Rodgers hasn't thrown a TD pass in a home game six times in his career.

Denver Broncos linebacker Justin Strnad (40) sacks New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Denver Broncos defensive end Zach Allen (99) reacts after sacking New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) reacts after throwing his first touchdown pass against the New York Jets during the third quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) is sacked by the Denver Broncos during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Winning a postseason series has been far tougher for the Milwaukee Brewers than reaching the playoffs.

Milwaukee faces the New York Mets in a best-of-three Wild Card Series starting Tuesday, the Brewers' sixth postseason appearance in seven years. But they haven't won a playoff series since 2018, when the Brewers lost a seven-game National League Championship Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“We feel different,” said right-hander Freddy Peralta, the Game 1 starter. “I can tell. Even today, the vibes that we have right now, you can see on everybody’s face that we are all knowing where we are, knowing where we’re going, and where we want to be."

The small-market Brewers have won two straight NL Central titles and three of four. Milwaukee has been eliminated in its first round five straight times and has lost nine of its last 10 playoff games.

Only about half the players on Milwaukee’s roster for the 2024 regular-season finale were on last year's wild card roster. Bench coach Pat Murphy moved up to manager after Craig Counsell left for the Chicago Cubs at the end of the 2023 season.

While previous Brewers teams were anchored by a dominant rotation featuring Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff and Peralta, this year’s squad went 93-69 behind Gold Glove-caliber defense, chaos-inducing speed on the bases and steady and effective pitching.

“They did it by pulling together and playing a certain way, and they know that’s the secret,” Murphy said. “I don’t think they wipe the slate clean in that, ‘This is how I play.’ The numbers are out the window. It doesn’t matter. Now it’s about win today, and they’ve kind of been doing that all year.”

Woodruff missed the season following shoulder surgery and Burnes was traded in January to Baltimore. Then the Brewers lost pitchers Wade Miley and Robert Gasser to Tommy John surgeries. And then Christian Yelich hurt his back and didn't play after July 23.

Milwaukee outfielder Sal Frelick bruised his left hip while chasing a foul ball Friday, creating doubt for his availability this week.

“He's still limping, so I'm not as optimistic as I was hoping to be,” Murphy said.

Frelick told reporters that he will be ”ready to go."

“I don't think I'd put myself out there if I thought that it was going to hurt the team, if I thought I couldn't make a play, couldn't steal a base, stuff like that,” Frelick said. “I'm comfortable saying that I can, I can go out and play like I have the whole year.”

Frelick crashed into the right-field sidewall, and his left side made contact with the metal chain link inside a window in that wall with no protective padding. Along with the traditional bunting adorning the concourses and logos painted onto American Family Field for the postseason, the Brewers installed new padding to the section of wall that Frelick hit.

Milwaukee is confident it will advance to a best-of-five Division Series against Philadelphia.

“It's just a feeling that you have in the clubhouse, that it just feels different,” shortstop Willy Adames said. “The vibe, it's just like a winning mentality, that we've got to do what we've got to do but we're going to win tonight. I feel like it's been like that all year.

"I feel like we've got to this point, now it's like, we've got to win, no matter what. We're going to do whatever it takes to win. We're going to continue to have that mentality. That feeling is something special.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy looks on from the dugout before a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy looks from the dugout during the third inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Milwaukee Brewers starter Freddy Peralta celebrates in the dugout after getting his 200th strikeout of the season during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Milwaukee Brewers' Willy Adames gestures as he jogs to the dugout after being taken out of the game during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Willy Adames, left, laughs from the dugout during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)