New York Jets Lost More Than a Game to the Denver Broncos, They Lost Their Dignity
Not only did the New York Jets drop to 0-4 following a home loss to the Denver Broncos on Thursday night, they certainly didn’t win over any fans with the way they performed at the end of the game. Multiple personal fouls targeting Broncos quarterback Brett Rypien just the salt to the wound of a truly terrible night.
The Jets handed the Broncos their first win of the season, handing away their own dignity in the process.
The end of the game featured the aforementioned personal fouls as the Broncos were trying to run out the clock, part of a sloppy performance from the Jets who were penalized 11 times for 118 yards in the loss. The Jets moved the ball at times and intercepted Broncos rookie quarterback Brett Rypien three times in his first NFL start.
Yet, none of that matters as what will likely be remembered from the Thursday night loss were the unnecessary penalties that simply underscored the Jets as an undisciplined team. Broncos head coach Vic Fangio, who coached with Adam Gase in 2015 as part of the Chicago Bears coaching staff, forewent the usual handshakes after the game and ushered his team directly to the locker room instead.
“Well, there were just a couple of personal fouls there at the end. Our sideline was getting pissed off about it and I just wanted to avoid any confrontation at the end of the game and having it get ugly,” Fangio said. “I tried to get our guys to leave quickly just to avoid anything happening. I thought it was the prudent thing to do.”
The loss was embarrassing for the Jets, coming against another winless team, at home and against a rookie quarterback in his first NFL start. The ending to the game, however, showed a lack of discipline from the Jets.
It also showed that the Jets issues go deeper than just play calling and personnel.
Gase, already unpopular with the fan base and supposedly on the hot seat, downplayed the chippiness at the end as well as the personal fouls. While Gase was understandably emotional and angry at yet another Jets loss, his lack of accountability from his team for their actions was bizarre.
“It’s decision-making. We have to make the right decisions,” Gase said of the fouls. “We can’t keep doing the same thing over and over and over again.”
