Since this is the bye week, let’s pause to examine the New York Jets' penalty situation. It’s not flattering.
The Jets have committed 75 penalties for 675 yards -- the third- and fourth-highest totals in the NFL, respectively.
At their current pace, they would set the franchise mark (barely) for most penalty yards in a season -- 1,078, held by the 1995 Rich Kotite Jets.
Some might argue penalties are overrated, pointing to the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos as Exhibits A and B. They’ve committed more penalties than the Jets (79 apiece), yet they’re considered the elite teams in the AFC.
Penalties haven’t undermined the Patriots and Broncos because they have all-time greats at the quarterback position. A franchise quarterback hides a lot of blemishes. You may have noticed, but the Jets don’t have one of those guys.
The most penalized player on the Jets, by far, is right guard Willie Colon (10 penalties), who shares the league lead with Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson.
The Jets’ leaders:
Willie Colon: 10 penalties for 67 yards
Antonio Allen: 5 for 69 (one declined)
Sheldon Richardson: 5 for 30 (one declined)
Michael Vick: 4 for 52
Jason Babin: 4 for 35 (one declined)
Breno Giacomini: 4 for 28
Darrin Walls: 3 for 54
Saalim Hakim: 3 for 35
Calvin Pace: 3 for 25
Eric Decker: 3 for 19 (one declined)
Quinton Coples: 3 for 13
T.J. Graham: 3 for 18 (one declined)
Most frequent penalties:
False start: 14
Offensive holding: 11
Unnecessary roughness: 8 (29th in NFL)
Defensive holding: 7
Unsportsmanlike conduct: 5
Neutral-zone infraction: 5