New York Jets' Tough Loss Marred by Penalties
The New York Jets' hopes of sealing a victory against the Denver Broncos were dashed as they endured a narrow 10-9 defeat at home. This Week 4 game for the 2024 NFL season turned into a frustrating affair for the Jets, who find themselves grappling with an internal battle against penalties.
The Jets, known for maintaining disciplined play, surprisingly topped the NFL charts with 13 penalties in this game, culminating in a performance that left both players and coaches searching for answers.
"We got to figure it out," said Head Coach Robert Saleh. "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."
Offensive Struggles
The offensive line, pivotal in any team's success, found itself at the center of the Jets' penalty issues. Eight out of the 13 flags thrown were against the offense, catapulting them to the position of the second-most penalized offense in Week 4, just behind the Houston Texans, who had nine penalties.
False starts were particularly problematic, with five such infractions plaguing the Jets. Left guard John Simpson and running back Breece Hall were each flagged for two false starts, while left tackle Tyron Smith added another.
"That's one way to do it. The other way is to hold them accountable," remarked Quarterback Aaron Rodgers. "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."
Operational Concerns
Prior to this game, the Jets had only recorded a single false start violation in their first three matches of the season. The drastic contrast exposed significant operational lapses that contributed to their Week 4 breakdown.
Examining the broader picture, the Jets had a mere eight offensive penalties across Weeks 1 to 3, positioning them tied for the 10th-fewest in the league. This stark increase in infractions points to a need for reassessment and recalibration.
Special teams were not immune to the evening's misfortunes either. Kicker Greg Zuerlein missed a critical 50-yard field goal with just 51 seconds left in the game, a potential game-winner that could have altered the outcome of this challenging contest.
Expert Insights
The importance of cadence and attention to detail was underscored by former NFL linebacker Luke Kuechly, who highlighted its impact on the game.
"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.'
Echoing this sentiment, former Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams emphasized the critical nature of pre-snap operations.
"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."
The Road Ahead
With this latest setback, the Jets are now standing at a 2-2 record for the season. Understandably, the focus will shift towards tightening operational procedures and ensuring that such penalty-riddled performances remain an outlier. The journey to the next game will undoubtedly involve intense scrutiny and a reinforced commitment to disciplined play, as the Jets look to regain their footing in a highly competitive NFL season.