The New York Jets suffered a heartbreaking defeat at home, narrowly losing to the Denver Broncos 10-9. Unfortunately for the Jets, their own errors played a significant role in the loss, with the team committing a staggering 13 penalties, an NFL-high for Week 4 of the 2024 season.
Out of the 13 penalties, a noteworthy eight were committed by the offensive unit. These infractions significantly hindered their rhythm and were a major contributor to their inability to secure the win. The Jets' offense ranked as the second-most penalized in the league for the week, trailing only the Houston Texans, who had nine penalties.
False Start Fiasco
Perhaps the most glaring issue for the Jets' offense was the false start penalties, of which they recorded five. Analysis of the infractions shows left guard John Simpson and running back Breece Hall each flagged for two false starts, while left tackle Tyron Smith was responsible for one. Prior to this week, the Jets had only incurred one false start penalty over the first three games of the season and had amassed just eight offensive penalties, tying for the 10th-fewest in the league.
Head coach Robert Saleh expressed his frustration over the unexpected surge in penalties: "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, a vital element of the team’s offense, shared his perspective on the issue, emphasizing accountability and the overall rarity of such penalties: "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... To have five today it seemed like, four or five. Yeah, it seems like an outlier."
Impact on the Game
The penalties notably disrupted the flow of the game. The Jets' offensive struggles culminated when kicker Greg Zuerlein missed a crucial 50-yard field goal attempt with just 51 seconds remaining, which would have given them the lead. The narrow miss underscored the team’s challenges and the potential impact of fewer mistakes.
Former NFL linebacker Luke Kuechly weighed in on Rodgers' strategy, particularly his use of the hard count: "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.'"
Attention to Detail
The sentiment was echoed by former Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams, who emphasized Rodgers' meticulous approach: "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."
The failure to execute clean pre-snap operations and the undisciplined play reflected in the penalties were uncharacteristic for a team previously lauded for their focus. "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," Adams added.
At 2-2 for the season, the Jets face an uphill battle to correct these issues and regain their form. The discipline and attention to detail that were hallmarks of their gameplay in the first few weeks need to be reinstated to prevent such a disheartening defeat from repeating itself. The answers must come quickly if the team hopes to stay competitive in the weeks ahead.