The Jets are preparing for their next challenge as they take on the Denver Broncos in London in Week 6, and for DC Steve Wilks, having a week-by-week mentality will be of the utmost importance as the team searches for its first win.

"The one thing I've learned coaching for 30 years and being in the NFL for 20, is to respect this game," Wilks said. "And what I mean by respecting the game, you respect the men and some teams, women, who put the time and effort in -- coaches and players. And understanding that each week is its own entity. And we got to find a way, and we're still chopping wood, and the thing that coach talks about which is repetitive in everybody's room is just the consistency and the details and the focus."

Wilks said while his unit has done a lot of great things, there still needs to be a higher level of execution for a full 60 minutes. The Jets have surrendered 31.4 average points per game, the second most in the NFL, and 140.4 rushing yards per game, the sixth most in the league.

Missed tackles have plagued the unit early in the season, and Wilks stressed red-zone defense and third-down defense as areas that need to tighten up moving forward.

"That's something I've taken ownership of," Wilks said of missed tackles. "That's something that we emphasized, and we talked about this week -- putting guys in those positions. So once again, once we get in the game it's muscle memory and we can go execute."

Wilks, who praised Denver QB Bo Nix's athleticism said the Jets will need to be "on point with our rush lanes" to contain Nix's dynamic style of play.

"We are going to have a great challenge this week, but the guys are focused and we're looking forward to it," he said.

DL Quinnen Williams added: "We haven't been pass rushing how we want to be pass rushing these last five weeks. … We've just got to find a way to get to the quarterback and effect the quarterback because I think that's the number one thing that is going to help this defense extend and go to the next direction is affecting the quarterback and getting after the quarterback. And we haven't been doing that. We need to turn it around."

'It's Only a Matter of Time'

S Andre Cisco said he's been in takeaway droughts before, but none quite like this.

"This one just hurts a little bit more because of the talent and ability we have to take the ball away," he said.

The Jets are the only team in the league that has yet to record a takeaway this season, and Cisco said that getting back to fundamentals has been a key point of emphasis this week.

In a way, the high level of effort has been even more frustrating for the fifth-year player, who expressed that the building blocks are in place, but the results have not come -- yet.

"It's only a matter of time," S Andre Cisco said of takeaways. "I feel like I'm being pushed to new limits in terms of how much we're talking about takeaways, how much we're emphasizing it, and the way that they're really on us about it and we're on each other. So, it's only a matter of time."

Familiar Faces Clash in London

The Jets and Broncos are quite familiar with one another, as the teams will meet in a regular-season contest for the sixth consecutive season.

But this matchup will bring a new degree of familiarity as several members of each staff will clash with individuals they have encountered throughout their playing and coaching careers.

Aaron Glenn and Sean Payton will face off for the first time as head coaches. Glenn played for Payton with the Saints in 2008, and he was the defensive backs coach under Payton in New Orleans from 2016-20.

"I owe a lot of my coaching development to Sean," Glenn said. "I think he's a hell of a coach. Offensive minded, really understands exactly how to attack different defenses and he's taught me a lot about being a coach. Listen, he's one of the guys that I love everything about who he is and what he's about and I'm looking forward to competing against him, because I know how he is."

Payton said of Glenn: "He's a tremendous coach. He was a huge asset to us in New Orleans. I've said this before -- as a head coach, you love to see guys get these opportunities. … Aaron's getting things built there. I know how he was as a player and I know how intense and diligent he was as a coach for us. I'm happy to see him get that opportunity and it's much deserved."

Along with the Glenn-Payton connection, GM Darren Mougey is also familiar with Denver, having spent the last 13 seasons with the Broncos -- most recently as the assistant general manager from 2022-24. Special Teams Coordinator Chris Banjo spent the last two seasons in Denver as a special teams assistant, and he played for Payton in New Orleans from 2016-18. Glenn also played with Zach Strief -- the offensive run game coordinator/assistant head coach in Denver -- during his time in New Orleans.

"This will be a good competitive battle between the coaching staffs," Glenn said. "We're looking forward to it."