Everyone Confused After Jets Were Called For an Unsportsmanlike Penalty That Gifted the Packers a First Down
The New York Jets and Green Bay Packers engaged in a very Thursday Night Football-esque first quarter on Sunday afternoon. The teams combined for 81 yards and three first downs. On the Packers second-best drive of the quarter they gained 15 of their 24 yards on a penalty that confused everyone and the Packers basically managed two three-and-outs on one drive thanks to the referees.
Aaron Rodgers badly underthrew Aaron Jones down the sideline on third-and-six and the Packers punt team took the field, but before they could do anything, a mysterious unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was called on the Jets... sideline? No one seemed to know what happened. Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen were lost and Jets coach Robert Saleh was shown looking for answers, but it doesn't appear anyone ever got any.
The NFL gives the referees microphones for a reason. The ref needs to explain the reasoning when a big call goes against a team without the fans seeing it, like the Jets' bench getting a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. No one knows what happened. https://t.co/0rv4lMXPpa
— Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) October 16, 2022
Every week, the @NFL refs invent new ways to screw the #Jets. This is the first time I have EVER seen unsportsmanlike conduct from the BENCH during a game. That is WEAK! @NFLOfficiating
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) October 16, 2022
The Jets' bench just got called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Packers were about to punt. Now the drive continues. Not sure what happened, but that's a killer.
— Andy Vasquez (@andy_vasquez) October 16, 2022
Never seen that before, but the Jets' bench was called for unsportsmanlike conduct. Packers keep the ball after going three and out.
— Ethan Greenberg (@EGreenbergJets) October 16, 2022
Maybe we will never know.