The Buffalo Bills escaped with a 23-20 victory over the New York Jets in a pivotal AFC East matchup on “Monday Night Football.” Yet despite Buffalo’s impressive victory, the story of the night was the unbelievable number of penalties and replays throughout the game.
Monday night’s matchup between the Bills and Jets featured a total of 22 penalties and 204 penalty yards, the most penalty yardage in a single game this season.
Following the penalty fest at MetLife Stadium, the NFL world provided several notable reactions.
NFL World Reacts to MNF Matchup Littered With Penalties
Jets star quarterback Aaron Rodgers didn’t hold back when asked about Monday night’s officiating following New York’s disappointing loss. Rodgers criticized penalties that went both in New York’s favor and against the team’s favor as well. The veteran QB is clearly frustrated about the penalty fest that occurred in Week 6.
“It seemed a little ridiculous. Some of them seemed really bad. Including the roughing passer on me. That’s not roughing the passer.”
Aaron Rodgers with some serious criticism of the referees tonight — both sides of the ball. #Jets pic.twitter.com/ZnaaKXkqdJ
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) October 15, 2024
Monday night’s prime-time matchup between the Bills and Jets was in its own category in 2024. Not only did both teams combine for the most penalty yards (204) in a single game this season, but they also tied the season high for most penalties called (22) in a single game as well.
The Bills-Jets game tonight set a new season high for most penalty yards in a game (204).
This game also tied the season high for most penalties called (22). pic.twitter.com/afMB3lIEOV
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 15, 2024
Field Yates of ESPN highlighted an impressive performance from the yellow flags at MetLife Stadium on Monday night. If you somehow managed to have the penalties starting in your fantasy football lineup, they would have been one of the best performers in Monday night’s prime-time matchup.
Scrimmage yards leaders from tonight’s game:
1. Penalties: 204
2. Breece Hall: 169
3. Ray Davis: 152— Field Yates (@FieldYates) October 15, 2024
Former NFL referee and CBS Spots rules analyst Gene Steratore utilized the perfect GIF to capture his reaction to the penalty fest at MetLife Stadium.
While Steratore is usually willing to discuss controversial penalties and rulings throughout NFL games, he knew it was time to hang it up on social media given the 22 penalties that were called between the Bills and Jets.
Loading up my timeline. pic.twitter.com/A6piI3HCIr
— Gene Steratore (@GeneSteratore) October 15, 2024
Pro Football Network’s David Bearman summed up a stretch of plays perfectly during Monday night’s matchup. It truly felt like the yellow penalty notification was fixated on ESPN’s scoreboard graphic throughout the entirety of the game between the Bills and Jets in Week 6.
Flag
Flag
Flag
Flag
Flag— David Bearman (@DavidBearmanPFN) October 15, 2024
Despite Monday night’s matchup featuring two star quarterbacks in Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers, it was overshadowed by constant penalties and missed field goals.
While Allen and Rodgers attempted to trade scoring drives, the officiating crew and each team’s kicker had other plans in Week 6. As NFL Nerd pointed out, the flags made the game borderline unwatchable down the final stretch.
This game is borderline unwatchable with all these flags
— NFL Nerd (@NerdingonNFL) October 15, 2024
While Adam Schefter of ESPN may have over-exaggerated the flag-to-play ratio a bit, he isn’t far off. The Bills and Jets ran a total of 119 plays on Monday night, while both teams combined for 22 total penalties. That equates to a penalty being called on 18.5% of plays during Monday night’s prime-time bout in Week 6.
Flag per play.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 15, 2024