Head coach Robert Saleh backtracked from his comments that the Jets may need to take a look at Aaron Rodgers’ renowned cadence after they committed five offensive pre-snap penalties in Sunday’s loss to the Broncos.
Rodgers didn’t seem to like even the suggestion, saying the team should instead hold the players accountable for those mistakes.
A day later, Saleh said there’s a difference between “cadence” and the offense’s “operation.”
“We’re always going to push the envelope with cadence. Always,” Saleh said in a video conference with reporters. “But with regards to operation, getting in and out of the huddle, getting to the line of scrimmage, the communication that’s being had, those are all things that we can continue to look at and clean up.
“But from a cadence standpoint, that’s part of what makes us who we are, and we’re going to continue to always push the envelope on that.”
On Sunday, when asked about scaling back his cadence, Rodgers said: “That’s one way to do it. The other way is to hold them accountable.”
Sounds like the message got through to Saleh.
The Jets defense only allowed 10 points to the Broncos on Sunday, but it struggled against the run in the second half, allowing 73 yards on 21 carries. Javonte Williams finished with a season-high 77 yards and hurt the Jets on Denver’s two scoring drives.
“Towards the end of the game, our gap discipline just wasn’t there,” linebacker Quincy Williams said. “They kept showing their looks and they kept running their stuff. They didn’t run anything out of the ordinary. It wasn’t like they came back with a different look. It was us [not] being gap disciplined.”
The Jets will face old friend Sam Darnold and the Vikings on Sunday in London. Darnold, the Jets’ third overall pick in the 2018 draft, is off to a fantastic start, leading Minnesota to four wins in as many games.
He has already thrown for an NFL-leading 11 touchdown passes and is completing 68.9 percent of his attempts.
“I think he’s doing a great job. He’s playing out of his mind right now,” said defensive lineman Quinnen Williams, who played with Darold for two years with the Jets. “He’s balling out of his mind right now. He’s doing a lot of great things. I was here with him for a couple of years. I’m super excited to go against him again. It’s going to be a great challenge.”
