In a closely contested matchup, the New York Jets faced a challenging defeat at home, succumbing to the Denver Broncos with a final score of 10-9. The disappointment was compounded by an undisciplined performance that saw the Jets commit an NFL-high 13 penalties during their Week 4 defeat. This loss leaves the Jets with a 2-2 record for the 2024 season.
Penalty Woes Plague the Jets
A striking element of the Jets' downfall was their offensive infractions. An eye-catching eight of the 13 penalties were flagged against the offense, placing them as the second-most penalized offense in Week 4, surpassed only by the Houston Texans' nine penalties. False starts were a significant issue, accounting for five of these offensive penalties. Left guard John Simpson and running back Breece Hall were flagged for two false starts each, while left tackle Tyron Smith was flagged for one. Head coach Robert Saleh expressed frustration and concern over these repeated mistakes.
"We got to figure it out," Saleh admitted. "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."
The false starts came as a surprise to many, considering the Jets had only one false start violation in the first three weeks of the season. Their offensive penalties in the initial three weeks of the campaign were notably lower, totaling just eight and tying for the 10th-fewest in the league.
Field Goal Miss and Final Moments
The culmination of errors and penalties led to a nail-biting finish. Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein had a chance to clinch the game with a 50-yard field goal. With just 51 seconds left on the clock, the stadium held its collective breath, but disappointment followed as Zuerlein missed the go-ahead attempt.
Rodgers' Perspective
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers weighed in on the offensive struggles, particularly on the false starts, highlighting how uncharacteristic this performance was for the team.
"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 stated.
Rodgers' confidence in his cadence was echoed by former NFL linebacker Luke Kuechly, who noted the strategic advantage it typically provides. "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.
Accountability and Precision
Former Packers receiver Davante Adams also highlighted the importance of attention to detail and accountability as key factors that could help the Jets rectify their issues. "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 stressed.
As the Jets move forward from this disappointing loss, the focus will undoubtedly be on tightening up their pre-snap discipline and maintaining the strategic edge that Rodgers' cadence can provide. Reducing penalties and honing their precision will be critical to their success in the remainder of the season.