The New York Jets experienced a disappointing home defeat in Week 4, falling narrowly to the Denver Broncos with a score of 10-9. This setback highlighted significant issues in penalties, with the team committing an NFL-high 13 infractions during the game.
Penalty Plague
The Jets' offense, in particular, suffered from poor discipline, recording eight of the 13 penalties. The offensive lineup, which had shown relatively good control in the first three weeks of the season, unraveled with five false start violations. This was a sharp increase from the single false start the team had recorded previously over the first three weeks combined. Head coach Robert Saleh reflected on these errors, noting, "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."
Offensive Struggles
Left guard John Simpson and running back Breece Hall were each flagged twice for false starts, while left tackle Tyron Smith contributed another false start to the tally. This rash of penalties put the Jets' offense under further scrutiny, making them the second-most penalized unit in Week 4 after the Houston Texans. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers expressed his concern, "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."
Disappointing Miss
Adding to the frustrations was kicker Greg Zuerlein, who missed a crucial 50-yard field goal that could have put the Jets ahead with just 51 seconds left on the clock. The miss encapsulated the team's struggles and compounded the sting of their one-point loss. This loss dropped the Jets to an even 2-2 record for the 2024 season, a disappointing outcome considering they had only been flagged for a total of eight offensive penalties — the 10th fewest in the league — through the first three weeks.
Leadership's Viewpoint
Both players and former athletes weighed in on the issues that plagued the Jets during this critical game. Rodgers' former teammate, Davante Adams, emphasized the importance of focus on pre-snap details. "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 observed.
Former NFL linebacker Luke Kuechly also supported Rodgers' approach to the hard count strategy, highlighting its effectiveness when executed properly. "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.
As the Jets look to rebound from this loss, it is evident that a renewed focus on discipline and precision will be crucial. While the Week 4 penalties may have derailed their momentum, the insights from seasoned players and coaches indicate that accountability and attention to detail must be at the forefront of their strategy moving forward.