The New York Jets' Week 4 clash against the Denver Broncos ended in a nail-biting yet disappointing 10-9 defeat at MetLife Stadium. This loss not only affected their standing but also highlighted glaring issues within the team's offensive discipline, as they registered an NFL-high 13 penalties, eight of which were committed by the offense.
Penalty Problem Intensifies
These 13 penalties reflect a significant departure from the Jets' initial season performance, where they had only eight offensive infractions over the first three games. This sudden spike in penalties, particularly false starts, has left both fans and analysts concerned.
Greg Zuerlein's missed 50-yard field goal with just 51 seconds left on the clock ultimately cost the Jets a chance at victory. However, Head Coach Robert Saleh pointed to the penalties as a critical factor in their loss. "We got to figure it out. Whether or not we're good enough to handle or ready enough to handle all the cadence," Saleh stated. He added, "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 Missteps
The Jets' offense bore the brunt of these mistakes, with five false start penalties making a sizeable impact. Notably, left guard John Simpson and running back Breece Hall were each flagged twice for false starts, while left tackle Tyron Smith contributed one. This was a stark contrast to their previous performance, where they had only a single false start across the first three weeks of the season.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, although visibly frustrated, emphasized that such penalties were uncharacteristic for his 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 noted.
Impact of Cadence
Former NFL linebacker Luke Kuechly weighed in on Rodgers' use of the hard count as a strategic tool, emphasizing its historical effectiveness. "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 shared.
Rodgers’ precision and attention to detail are well-known, and according to former Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams, these qualities remain vital. "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 commented. "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."
Looking Ahead
With the Jets now standing at a 2-2 record for the 2024 season, it's imperative for them to address these penalties moving forward. The discipline seen in the first three weeks must be reinstated to avoid further losses in tight games. Whether the answer lies in increased accountability, as Rodgers suggests, or in reevaluating their operational cadence, the upcoming weeks will determine if the Jets can iron out these kinks and regain their form.
The Week 4 penalties serve as a wake-up call for the Jets. Correcting these mistakes will be crucial as they seek to turn their season around and make a push for the playoffs. For now, they must learn from this tough loss and refocus on maintaining the discipline that initially helped them secure two victories.