Jets Fall Short in Penalty-Plagued Defeat Against Broncos
In a crushing home defeat, the New York Jets were edged out 10-9 by the Denver Broncos, a loss that drops them to an even 2-2 record for the 2024 season. The game, marked by a myriad of penalties, exposed significant issues within the Jets' offense, making it clear that some adjustments are necessary moving forward.
Committed the most penalties in the NFL this week, the Jets racked up 13 infractions, eight of which came from their offense. This considerable spike suggests a troubling trend; prior to this game, they had only accumulated eight offensive penalties over the first three weeks, putting them among the least penalized teams in the league.
The majority of the offensive penalties were due to false starts, with five infractions disrupting their drives. Left guard John Simpson and running back Breece Hall each committed two false starts, while left tackle Tyron Smith was responsible for one. This lapse was particularly perplexing given the team's previous clean record in this area—they had only one false start in the first three weeks combined.
This sudden surge in penalties has raised questions about the discipline and readiness of the team. Head coach Robert Saleh acknowledged the setback, saying, "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."
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers echoed a similar sentiment, expressing his surprise at the uncharacteristic mistakes. "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."
While reflecting on the game, Rodgers’ remarks underscored the need for the team to focus on the fundamentals, particularly the snap count. His cadence has been regarded as an asset, routinely confusing opposing defenses and creating opportunities. This was highlighted by former NFL linebacker Luke Kuechly, who noted, "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.'"
Davante Adams, a former teammate of Rodgers in Green Bay, emphasized the importance of attention to detail, a principle that Rodgers instilled in his teammates. "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," Adams said. "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."
Despite these setbacks, the Jets had a glimmer of hope late in the game with a chance to capture the win. However, Greg Zuerlein's missed 50-yard field goal with only 51 seconds remaining sealed their fate. The miss underscored a day of near-misses and costly errors, showing that while the Jets have the talent, their execution needs to be much sharper.
As the Jets reflect on this loss, it’s clear they have some introspection to do. Penalties, particularly of the pre-snap variety, are often a reflection of mental errors rather than physical ones. Addressing these issues will be critical if they are to capitalize on their potential and turn close games into victories in future matchups.