In a nail-biting contest, the New York Jets endured a heartbreaking 10-9 loss to the Denver Broncos at their home stadium. The game, defined by its highly penalized nature, has brought a spotlight on the Jets’ discipline issues, with penalties playing a significant role in their Week 4 defeat.
The Jets were flagged for an NFL-high 13 penalties, a stark contrast to their previous three weeks. The penalties were a significant factor in their narrow loss, with eight out of 13 committed by the offense alone. False starts were particularly problematic, contributing five of those eight offensive penalties. Left guard John Simpson and running back Breece Hall were each flagged twice for false starts, while left tackle Tyron Smith was flagged once.
Sudden Rise in Penalties
The sudden surge in penalties is puzzling for a team that only had one false start in the first three weeks of the season. The Jets had only been flagged for eight offensive penalties until this game, tying for the 10th-fewest in the league. It is evident that this anomaly has left the team searching for answers.
Head coach Robert Saleh weighed in on the perplexing issue, stating, "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." His concern is shared by his players, who are also trying to reconcile the stark difference in their operational efficiency.
Observations from Aaron Rodgers
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers echoed the sentiment, acknowledging the rare nature of these penalties. "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 commented.
Despite the high penalty count, it was clear Rodgers remains confident in the team's usual discipline and focus, implying that accountability might be the key to overcoming this blip. Former NFL linebacker Luke Kuechly supported Rodgers' assessment, noting the quarterback’s meticulous use of the hard count. "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 explained.
The Importance of Discipline
Former Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams added to the discourse, emphasizing the importance of attention to detail. "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 shared.
Down to the Wire
The penalties cast a shadow over what could have been a game-winning moment for the Jets. With just 51 seconds left on the clock, kicker Greg Zuerlein missed a crucial 50-yard field goal that could have put the Jets ahead. This miss further compounded the agony of a game riddled with missed opportunities and self-inflicted wounds.
As the Jets now stand at a 2-2 record for the 2024 season, the coaching staff and players will undoubtedly be looking to tighten up their discipline and return to the more controlled and measured approach that defined their first three games. The loss to the Broncos has become a crash course in accountability, focus, and execution, lessons that they will need to internalize to remain competitive in the challenging weeks ahead.