CHICAGO – The Jets committed eight penalties for 45 yards in Sunday’s 24-10 loss to the Bears, numbers that are on the high side but do not fully explain how damaging those calls were.
They were not loud, long penalties, but rather the kind that drive coaches nuts and scuttle drives even before they can get started.
The worst of it was five false starts, which continually put the Jets into unfavorable down-and-distance situations. That was the last thing the offense needed on a day when it was missing key players because of injury.
“I think [it was] some guys just being antsy, wanting to get off the ball,” quarterback Sam Darnold said.