The New York Jets suffered a tough loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, with head coach Robert Saleh expressing anger over a pivotal penalty called against cornerback Sauce Gardner. In the closing moments of the game, the Jets intercepted a pass by Patrick Mahomes on a crucial third down, giving them a chance to potentially tie the game. However, a penalty flag was thrown, as Gardner was called for holding on Justin Watson. This penalty extended the Chiefs’ drive, leading to their eventual victory. Saleh’s frustration was evident on the sideline, and he was even penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct.
It wasn’t just the penalty on Gardner that upset Saleh, as there were other questionable calls made throughout the drive. Earlier in the drive, Mahomes scrambled on a third-and-long situation, and Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley was penalized for illegal contact. Many Jets fans pointed out that Juwaan Taylor may have gotten away with a holding call during this play. The missed and controversial penalties added to the Jets’ frustrations and made the loss even more bitter.
After the game, Saleh expressed disappointment over the unfortunate turn of events during the drive, especially considering it was a primetime football game. The Jets had multiple opportunities to stop the Chiefs and regain control of the game after a fumble by Zach Wilson. However, Kansas City ran 15 plays to end the game, taking advantage of penalties called against the Jets, including an offensive facemask and a debatable horse collar tackle.
In total, the Jets were flagged seven times for 42 yards, while the Chiefs were called for five penalties totaling 46 yards. Despite the controversial penalties, the loss ultimately falls on the Jets’ inability to capitalize on their chances and stop the Chiefs’ offense when it mattered most.