EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Broncos are returning to Denver as a different team than when they left.

After starting the season 0-2, Denver hit the road for a two-week road trip that Head Coach Sean Payton said could provide a “better idea” of where the team stood. And as the Broncos now return to Denver back at .500, it’s safe to say the trip showed the team’s potential for the rest of the 2024 season.

“Coach Payton [kept] just kept telling us, ‘These two road games are going to define us as a team,’” safety P.J. Locke said after Sunday’s win against the Jets. “… [To] figure out what our identity is and come back home with two road wins, it’s awesome. We’re putting ourselves in the right position.”

Denver wasted no time in beginning to develop this identity during the two-week stretch. While traveling to Tampa and taking on a 2-0 team may have seemed to be a daunting task, the Broncos took control of the game with a touchdown on their opening drive and never looked back. The 26-7 victory showcased an improved run game, a stellar defensive performance and several other positive takeaways that left the team feeling confident and energized heading into Week 4.

The job, however, was far from complete. Denver then traveled to The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia to train for the week and prepare for its upcoming matchup with the Jets. And although the team entered the week with an increased sense of confidence, the commitment to continuous improvement remained unchanged. For Payton, this helped paint a picture of what his team could be moving forward.

“It had a chance to be a pivotal part of the season,” Payton said Sunday of the two-week trip. “We’re early in the season, but you find out a little bit about everyone. … You kind of [find out] a little bit about your grit and toughness.”

And Sunday’s rainy matchup with the Jets in East Rutherford provided the perfect opportunity to do just that.

“Obviously [it was] a gritty win,” Payton said of Denver’s one-point victory. “[I’m] proud of how we fought. … [It was a] good team that we played, and we fought hard.”

While Denver’s defense continued to build positive momentum, keeping quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Jets’ offense out of the end zone, the Broncos’ offense struggled to find a rhythm early and failed to put any points on the board during the first half. Trailing by six at the half, courtesy of two Jets’ field goals, the Broncos found a way to battle back in the third quarter. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix led a scoring drive that was capped off with his first career touchdown pass, and kicker Wil Lutz later added a field goal that gave the Broncos enough points to pull out the victory.

“It was huge to go on the road, get two tough wins against two really good football teams, two tough defenses, two tough offenses,” Nix said. “… You find a way to win in this league, and that’s a big day.”

But for left tackle Garett Bolles, who described his team as “young” and “gritty,” the perfect ending to the two-week trip meant a little bit more than just adding another tally in the win column.

“I’m just very grateful,” he said. “This team is just so special. From the locker room, our relationships that we have, we’re just trusting each other, trusting in the game plan, trusting in our coaches and I think just the importance of a team. … Everyone just put their pride aside, and we just focused on each other these last 10 days. We got one in Tampa, but I think this one was a special one.”

Bolles noted that the back-and-forth nature of a game that came down to the wire is what made the victory that much more special, and running back Javonte Williams, who led the team in rushing yards, echoed this sentiment.

“Resilience [and] grit,” Williams said of what he believes this game showed about the team. “We can play in any conditions, we are super focused, no matter what the factors are. [We] just come out here with our heads up.”

As the Broncos now return to Denver to prepare for their second home game, they will look to continue to carry this mindset with them. For Payton, getting back to .500 was a great step in the right direction.

“[We went] into some tough environments,” Payton said. “You get on a plane tonight and you get back home at 2-2. That’s important.”