The New York Jets' mounting struggles reached a troubling new low as they suffered a narrow 10-9 defeat at home to the Denver Broncos. This game, marked by a cascade of penalties, painted a stark picture of a team grappling with discipline and execution issues.
Penalty Problems Plague the Jets
The Jets committed an alarming 13 penalties during their Week 4 matchup, the highest number in the NFL for the week. A significant portion of these infractions, eight to be precise, were committed by the offense. This marks a sharp increase from their earlier season performance, where they had only eight offensive penalties over the first three weeks, tying for the 10th-fewest in the league.
Five of these penalties were due to false starts, clearly indicative of communication breakdowns and possibly issues with cadence. Left guard John Simpson and running back Breece Hall were each flagged twice for false starts, while veteran left tackle Tyron Smith was flagged once. This is a stark turnaround from the Jets' prior games, which included just a single false start penalty in the first three weeks combined.
Voices from the Locker Room
Head coach Robert Saleh acknowledged the gravity of the situation post-game, stating, "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." Saleh's comments underscore a fundamental issue that has surfaced unexpectedly and dramatically.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers also reflected on the issue, suggesting accountability as a potential remedy. "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."
Analyzing the Hard Count Strategy
This game has also put a spotlight on the Jets' use of the hard count. Former NFL linebacker Luke Kuechly provided insights into how effective Aaron Rodgers' hard count can be, saying, "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.'
Similarly, former Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams illuminated the importance of precision, stating, "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."
Crunch Time Missteps
Despite the offensive struggles, the Jets had an opportunity to clinch a victory. With just 51 seconds remaining on the clock, placekicker Greg Zuerlein attempted a 50-yard field goal that could have swung the result in their favor. Unfortunately for the Jets, Zuerlein's effort missed the mark, cementing their 10-9 defeat.
For a team that started the season with a 2-2 record, the Jets need to address their discipline and communication issues if they aim to remain competitive. Correcting these false start penalties and ensuring tighter execution on crucial plays will be pivotal in their quest to turn the season around.