Jets vs. Broncos NFL Week 5 odds, props, trends: Nathaniel Hackett returns to Denver seeking first Jets regulation lead since November 2022

Nathaniel Hackett has been trending on social media all week. The former head coach of the Denver Broncos was fired last year without even making it through the full regular season, but he landed on his feet and is now the offensive coordinator for the New York Jets, who visit the Mile High City on Sunday. It's an ugly game on paper between one-win clubs, but intriguing because of Hackett and new Broncos coach Sean Payton. The Jets are seeking their first regulation lead for the first time in almost a year on Sunday. Might they do it? SportsLine offers odds.

Hackett was fired after a 4-11 start in 2022 and some highly questionable decision-making. Potential future Hall of Fame quarterback Russell Wilson looked lost. Seeking an upgrade, the Broncos traded for Payton from New Orleans to replace Hackett this year. This summer, Payton told USA Today that Hackett's 15-game run with the Broncos was "one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL."

Payton might not have been inaccurate, but it was highly unusual for one NFL coach to publicly rip another. The comments obviously rankled just about everyone with the Jets, especially Aaron Rodgers. Payton later said the criticism was a "mistake," but Jets players and coaches are still fired up for this week's game.

"It definitely feels like an entire organization threw him under the bus," center Connor McGovern told reporters this week, "from the firing in the first place and then those comments. It's not an easy job, and Hack's such a great guy. I personally don't need any extra motivation to go win a football game, but you definitely have your guy's back, and want to do everything you can to make sure that you have Hack's back."

It has been a rough football season in New York – the opening win against Buffalo excluded – as the Jets and Giants are the only two NFL teams that have run zero offensive plays with a lead this season. In fact, the Jets haven't run an offensive play with a lead in 10 straight games, the longest such streak since plays were first tracked in 1991.

You might be asking how that's possible if the Jets have that Week 1 victory under their belts. New York only led when it won on a punt return touchdown by Xavier Gipson early in overtime. The last time the Jets offense took the field with a lead was Week 12 last year when New York beat the Bears 31-10 behind a big game from Mike White (now a backup in Miami).

White started that game because Zach Wilson was terrible the week before in a loss to New England. The last time Wilson took the field with a lead was Week 9 of last year, a 20-17 upset of Buffalo.

Wilson did play arguably the best game of his career in last Sunday's close loss to Kansas City and is seeking consecutive games with multiple passing scores for the first time in his career. In five games following a multi-passing touchdown game, Wilson has two passing scores and nine picks. 

He is set at over/under 202.5 passing yards Sunday and goes against the NFL's worst defense. Denver is allowing 461.5 yards and 37.5 points per game. Payton seems to have fixed Wilson at least -- Denver has become the first team in league history to score at least 100 points but allow at least 150 through the first four games of a season.

Via SportsLine oddsmakers: Will the Jets take a regulation lead Sunday in Denver?

• Yes -120
• No Even

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