Jets' Penalty Struggles Cost Them in Narrow Loss to Broncos
The New York Jets suffered a narrow and frustrating defeat at home, losing 10-9 to the Denver Broncos. This loss not only dropped the Jets to a 2-2 record for the 2024 season but also highlighted significant issues in their offensive discipline. Committing a league-high 13 penalties, with eight of those infractions coming from the offense, the Jets undermined their efforts and missed a critical opportunity to clinch the game.
The offensive penalties were particularly damaging, as they stalled drives and nullified positive plays. False starts were a major issue, accounting for five of the offensive penalties. Left guard John Simpson and running back Breece Hall were each flagged for two false starts, while left tackle Tyron Smith was penalized once. This sudden increase in false starts was surprising for a team that had only one such violation in the first three weeks of the season.
Head coach Robert Saleh acknowledged the abrupt dip in performance, expressing his concern over the team's ability to handle cadence effectively. "We got to figure it out. Whether or not we're good enough to handle or ready enough to handle all the cadence. Cadence had not been an issue all camp. Felt like our operation had been operating pretty good. Obviously today took a major step back," Saleh remarked.
The Jets' offensive woes were compounded by their inconsistency with penalties. After tying for the 10th-fewest offensive penalties in the league over the first three weeks, with just eight infractions, their Week 4 performance was a stark contrast. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, known for his meticulous attention to detail, emphasized the unusual nature of the penalty spike. "That's one way to do it. The other way is to hold them accountable. We haven't had an issue. We've only had one false start. [Right tackle] Morgan had one false start I believe until this. You know it's been a weapon. We use it every day in practice. We rarely have a false start. To have five today it seemed like, four or five. Yeah, it seems like an outlier. I don't know if we need to make mass changes based on kind of an outlier game," Rodgers said.
Rodgers' perspective was echoed by former NFL linebacker Luke Kuechly, who praised the quarterback's command over his hard count as a potent tool for the offense. "He nailed it: 'my hard count is a weapon.' The amount of big plays, go ask Jordy Nelson. 'Hey Jordy, do you think the hard count that Aaron Rodgers has is effective?' He would say, 'Yeah, I got paid a lot of money on go balls that Aaron threw me after a defensive lineman jumped offsides,'" Kuechly noted.
Former Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams also weighed in, stressing the importance of attention to detail, especially regarding the snap count. "Aaron is all about the attention to detail. So, snap count, that's attention to detail. You got to be locked in on something like that. We always talked about in Green Bay 'that the play is hard enough to win on its own, so let's not lose it pre-snap.' ... At least let's get our pre-snap operation smooth.' Everybody hears the same snap count in the huddle, so there's really no excuse for one of these things. Holding people accountable, I agree (with Rodgers). Sometimes that's what you have to do versus run from it. Have certain consequences if guys can't get right," Adams emphasized.
In spite of their struggles, the Jets had a chance to win the game late in the fourth quarter. Kicker Greg Zuerlein missed a crucial 50-yard field goal with 51 seconds remaining, which would have given the Jets a narrow lead. This missed opportunity further compounded the frustration of the Jets' night, epitomizing the thin margins that defined the contest.
As the Jets look to rebound from this setback, addressing their penalty issues will be paramount. Consistency and discipline, particularly on the offensive line, will need to be focal points if they aim to stay competitive in the tightly contested season. With the talent they possess and the leadership of Saleh and Rodgers, there's reason to believe they can correct these issues and continue to vie for success as the season progresses.