Jets Stumble in Home Loss to Broncos
In a game that highlighted significant lapses in discipline, the New York Jets suffered a narrow 10-9 defeat at the hands of the Denver Broncos. The loss, which came on their home turf, leaves the Jets with a balanced 2-2 record for the 2024 season. The game was marred by the Jets' inability to stay clear of penalties, a factor that plagued them throughout the match.
In what might be considered an anomaly, the Jets committed an NFL-high 13 penalties during their Week 4 defeat. The bulk of these penalties, eight in total, were attributed to the offense. This surge in infractions is particularly striking given that the Jets had only accumulated eight offensive penalties from Weeks 1 to 3, tying for the 10th-fewest in the league.
Much of the Jets' offensive woes can be traced back to a series of false starts. Out of the five false start penalties, standout offenders included left guard John Simpson and running back Breece Hall, each flagged twice. Left tackle Tyron Smith also contributed to the missteps with one false start. This is a stark contrast to their earlier performance in the season, where they had only one false start violation in the first three weeks.
Head coach Robert Saleh addressed the issue with visible frustration, emphasizing the unexpected nature of the problem. "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 lamented.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers echoed the sentiment but suggested that the issue might be an outlier rather than a systemic problem. "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 explained.
Nevertheless, the game was there for the taking right up until the final moments. Jets' kicker Greg Zuerlein was presented with an opportunity to clinch the win with a 50-yard field goal. Unfortunately for New York fans, Zuerlein missed the potential go-ahead kick with just 51 seconds left on the clock.
The offensive penalties were not just a thorn in the Jets' side but also a rare occurrence given their previous track record. From Weeks 1 to 3, the Jets had demonstrated commendable discipline, making this week's performance even more perplexing. Former Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams emphasized the importance of precision and accountability in such scenarios. "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 noted.
Former NFL linebacker Luke Kuechly highlighted Rodgers' renowned hard count as a tactical asset that must be managed effectively. "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 remarked.
As the Jets move forward, the hope will be that this game serves as a wake-up call rather than a harbinger of continued disciplinary issues. It's clear that both the coaching staff and players need to recalibrate quickly to avoid further disruptions in their bid for a successful season.