Jets Stumble at Home Against Broncos, Fall 10-9
The New York Jets experienced a dispiriting defeat at home, losing 10-9 to the Denver Broncos. This loss was compounded by a series of errors that reflected poorly on their Week 4 performance. The Jets committed an NFL-high 13 penalties, a notable deviation from their more disciplined behavior earlier in the season.
Coach Robert Saleh addressed the issue post-game, clearly frustrated with the team's performance. "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 offensive line was at the center of the problem, responsible for eight of the 13 total penalties. A significant portion of these were false starts, accounting for five infractions. Left guard John Simpson and running back Breece Hall were each flagged for two false starts, while left tackle Tyron Smith added another.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers expressed his concern but was measured in his response, highlighting the unusual nature of the penalty outburst. "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.
It's worth noting that the Jets had only one false start violation in the first three weeks of the season, underscoring how out of character this game's performance was. From Weeks 1 to 3, the Jets’ offense had eight penalties, tying for the 10th-fewest in the league. This stark contrast suggests that Sunday’s game was more an anomaly than an emerging trend.
The Jets' offensive penalties put them just behind the Houston Texans, who committed nine infractions in their Week 4 game. This statistical ranking highlights a disappointing lapse in focus and execution for a team that had been showing promise. Former NFL linebacker Luke Kuechly weighed in on the situation, praising Rodgers' command in using the hard count 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 noted.
Adding to the chorus, former Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams underscored the importance of attention to detail, something Rodgers has always emphasized. "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 affirmed.
The Jets' offensive issues surfaced at the worst possible time, with kicker Greg Zuerlein missing a critical 50-yard field goal attempt that could have turned the tide in their favor. His miss with just 51 seconds left on the clock sealed their fate in a game many felt was within their grasp until the very end.
Currently standing at 2-2 for the 2024 season, the Jets will need to quickly address these setbacks if they hope to realign their trajectory. While the high number of penalties in Week 4 is concerning, the team’s performance in the earlier weeks suggests the potential for a quick recovery. For now, the focus must shift to eliminating these costly mistakes to avoid further hindrances in their pursuit of success this season.