 |
| Robert Saleh talks about the cadence on offense and how that has been a problem in regards to penalties for the Jets pre-snap |
After two consecutive wins, the New York Jets faltered in Week 4, suffering a narrow 10-9 home loss to the Denver Broncos.
The Jets failed to score a touchdown, settling for three field goals by Greg Zuerlein. In cold, rainy conditions, quarterback Aaron Rodgers struggled, completing 57% of his passes (24 of 42) for 225 yards and was sacked five times. Self-inflicted errors also plagued the Jets' offense, including five false start penalties. Running back Breece Hall and left guard John Simpson were responsible for two each, while Tyron Smith accounted for the fifth.
Post-game, Jets head coach Robert Saleh pointed to the offensive cadence as a major issue. While he didn’t directly name Rodgers, the quarterback is responsible for calling the snap count. "We gotta figure it out, whether or not we’re good enough or ready to handle all of the cadence,” Saleh remarked. "Cadence hadn’t been an issue all camp. Our operation was running smoothly, but today we took a major step back."
Rodgers, however, didn’t completely agree with Saleh’s assessment when asked if the cadence needed adjustment. "That's one way to look at it," Rodgers said. "The other way is holding players accountable. We haven’t had an issue before today. Morgan [Moses] had one false start earlier in the season, but that’s it." Rodgers emphasized the cadence as a valuable tool, used daily in practice with rare false starts. “To have five today… Yeah, it feels like an outlier. I don’t think we need to make sweeping changes based on one game.”
The Jets racked up 13 penalties overall, costing them 90 yards, meaning false starts weren’t the only issue in the loss.
Any sign of friction between Rodgers and Saleh is bound to grab attention from the media. Earlier in Week 3, during a 24-3 victory over the New England Patriots, Saleh's attempt to hug Rodgers was met with a pushback from the QB, adding to the intrigue. While Rodgers makes a compelling case, noting that false starts hadn’t been a problem in the first three games, the five penalties in Week 4 sparked questions that Saleh was trying to address in his postgame conference.
If the Jets clean up their act and false starts aren’t a recurring issue, the cadence debate will likely fade. However, if problems persist and Rodgers grows visibly frustrated, Saleh and his staff might be justified in their concerns, potentially increasing tensions. Whether this is a one-off or a larger issue remains something for fans and media to watch closely.
