The Denver Broncos have managed to win twice without a running game.
Now they’ll try to win without a defense.
Three starters - linebacker Robert Ayers, cornerback Andre Goodman and safety Brian Dawkins - will not play for the Broncos when they host the New York Jets on Sunday.
Cornerback Darcel McBath (ankle) and linebacker Wesley Woodyard (hamstring), also a special teams factor, will miss the game as well.
The Jets (4-1) have the NFL’s top rushing attack at 167.8 yards per game. LaDainian Tomlinson has 435 yards (5.7 per carry) and three touchdowns while Shonn Greene has 280 yards (4.5) and one touchdown.
The Broncos (2-3) will also have to find a way to stop Jets tight end Dustin Keller (team-leading 21 receptions), who has five of quarterback Mark Sanchez’s eight touchdown passes in 2010.
Braylon Edwards has the other three touchdown catches.
Sanchez hasn’t thrown an interception, a big reason the Jets lead the NFL with a plus-11 turnover margin.
All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis will likely be a game-time decision with an injured hamstring for the Jets, who have won six straight road games.
The Broncos need to build an addition for their trainer’s room.
Ayers has a broken bone in his foot and likely will miss approximately six weeks. Dawkins has a strained knee ligament and will miss at least two weeks, and Goodman has been battling a quadriceps injury.
Also, running back Knowshon Moreno was held out of practice Wednesday, and linebacker Mario Haggan (neck) was limited. Moreno has missed the last three games with a bad hamstring.
Rookie wide receiver Demaryius Thomas suffered a concussion during a kickoff return last week, but was cleared to practice Friday.
The Broncos are second in the NFL in passing with 333 yards per game. Kyle Orton, whose 1,733 yards are the most in franchise history through five games, has eight touchdowns and three interceptions while completing 66.2 percent of his passes.
Brandon Lloyd (19.6 per catch average, 3 TDs), Jabar Gaffney (2 TDs) and Royal (1 TD) form the NFL’s top wide receiving trio with 90 catches. Lloyd’s 589 yards are the most in franchise history through five games.
The Broncos, though, are averaging an NFL-worst 51.8 rushing yards per game, nearly 24 yards behind the next worst team – the New Orleans Saints.
The Jets are coming off their fourth straight victory, 29-20 over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football. Nick Folk kicked five field goals before Greene’s 23-yard run in the fourth quarter gave the Jets a 22-13 lead.
They finished off Brett Favre and the Vikings when Dwight Lowery returned an interception 26 yards for a touchdown with 1:30 left.
The Broncos were beaten soundly by the Baltimore Ravens 31-17 last week after falling behind 17-0. The Broncos, who rushed for 39 yards, could not contain Ray Rice, who rushed for 133 yards and two touchdowns.
The Broncos won the last meeting 34-17 at the Meadowlands in 2008.