EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Bo Nix threw his first NFL touchdown and the Denver Broncos overcame a miserable first half on offense to beat struggling Aaron Rodgers and the sloppy New York Jets in a 10-9 defensive stalemate a rainy Sunday.

Rodgers limped slightly after a sack late in the fourth quarter and appeared to be resting his left leg – the same one where his Achilles tendon was surgically repaired last year – and was looked at by trainers on the sideline.

It looked like Rodgers may have fumbled the play as well, but the Broncos were out of tackles, so Sean Payton couldn’t ask the officials for a review.

Rodgers came back on the Jets’ next possession with 2:31 left but couldn’t get anything going. Rodgers faced fourth-and-10 at New York’s 45 and was sacked from behind by a lightning-quick PJ Locke to give the Broncos the ball at the 35.

The defense came up big and New York (2-2) used all three timeouts, and the Broncos’ drive ended with Wil Lutz missing a 50-yarder to left.

That gave Rodgers and the Jets another chance.

New York was down by 32 points to the Broncos, and after an incomplete pass from Rodgers to Mike Williams with 51 seconds left, Greg Zuerlein prepared for a possible game-winning goal – but his 50-yarder veered right and Nix and the Broncos (2:2). ) were able to kneel down for victory.

Rodgers was 24 of 42 for 225 yards and was sacked five times. New York was also penalized 13 times.

Nix was 7 of 15 for minus-7 yards in the first two quarters and completed just 60 yards on 12 of 25 passes – but had no turnovers and made the big play when he needed to.

Nix’s first NFL TD pass came with 3:08 left in the third quarter when he found a wide-open Courtland Sutton in the back of the end zone to give Denver a 7-6 lead.

Nix, the No. 12 overall pick in April, threw a high pass to the back of the end zone, where Sutton went up, grabbed the ball and used both feet to score the score. It capped by far the Broncos’ best drive to that point, with Nix leading Denver with 87 yards rushing on 11 plays.

After Zuerlein’s 40-yarder gave the Jets the lead back, the Broncos marched down the field – on seven straight runs – and set up Lutz’s 47-yarder that put Denver back on top 10-9 with 8:55 left .

After a defensive struggle in the first quarter, the Jets had 15 total yards and the Broncos only 6.

Nine seconds into the second quarter, New York finally broke through on Zuerlein’s 23-yard field goal, which came just after a scary moment.

Broncos running back Tyler Badie was placed on a backboard and carted off the sideline with a back injury. He caught a pass from Nix on a third-down play just before the end of the first quarter and was immediately beaten by Quincy Williams, resulting in a 4-yard loss and fumbling the ball. Michael Carter II rebounded for the Jets.

Badie was seen a few minutes later on his back on the sideline while trainers worked on him before he was taken off the field.

Zuerlein’s 35-yarder to end the first half gave the Jets a 6-0 lead.

Costly celebration

New York’s Allen Lazard received a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when he caught a 13-yard pass from Rodgers for a first down in the third quarter. He celebrated the victory by signaling for first down with both hands, which officials thought was a weapon-like gesture.

The NFL has warned players not to make “violent gestures.” Atlanta wide receiver Drake London was fined $14,069 for unsportsmanlike conduct/violent gesture while celebrating with a firearm in a recent game. Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers also recently received $28,128 for two different “gun-like” celebrations.

Next

Broncos: Host AFC West rival Las Vegas Raiders next Sunday.

Jets: Travel to London to play Minnesota at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next Sunday morning.

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