The New York Jets suffered a heart-wrenching loss at home, falling 10-9 to the Denver Broncos, a defeat marked by an NFL-high 13 penalties in their Week 4 clash. This disappointing result puts the Jets at a 2-2 record for the 2024 season.
Penalty Problems Plague the Jets
Offensive miscues were a critical factor in the Jets' defeat, with the team committing eight of their 13 penalties on the offensive side of the ball. Five of these were crippling false start penalties. The offensive line particularly struggled, with left guard John Simpson and running back Breece Hall each flagged twice for false starts and left tackle Tyron Smith once. This contrasted starkly with their disciplined performance in the first three weeks, where the Jets had only one false start violation and tied for the 10th-fewest offensive penalties in the league.
“We got to figure it out,” said a frustrated head coach Robert Saleh. “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.”
Contributing Factors
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who joined the Jets in the offseason, echoed the sentiment of surprise and frustration. “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.”
The offensive penalties were especially costly in a game decided by a single point. Veteran kicker Greg Zuerlein missed a crucial 50-yard field goal with just 51 seconds remaining, a miss that could have given the Jets the lead. But the narrative of the game was shaped more by mental errors than by a single missed opportunity.
Voices from Experience
Former NFL linebacker Luke Kuechly noted the importance of Rodgers’ hard count, which has been a staple of his success throughout his career. “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.'”
Former Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams offered insight into Rodgers' meticulous approach to the game. “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.”
Moving Forward
The Jets’ performance in Week 4 is certainly a cause for concern but perhaps not a definitive red flag. After all, this game might very well be an anomaly given their prior discipline. The challenge now for Coach Saleh and the team will be to address these mistakes, reinforce focus and discipline, and ensure that penalties do not continue to define their season. With veteran voices like Rodgers and the shared accountability ethos that both he and Adams advocate, the Jets have the leadership necessary to rebound from this setback.
As the season progresses, the team's ability to adapt and overcome these issues will be crucial. The next few games will be telling in whether the Jets can clean up their act or if Week 4 was a sign of more undisciplined play to come. For now, the Jets will need to regroup, reflect, and come back stronger to get back on track in what promises to be a fiercely competitive season.