Special teams continues to be elite for the Jets.
Nick Folk’s 56-yard field goal as time expired gave the Jets (3-9) a 27-24 victory over the Falcons (4-8) on a gloomy, rainy day at MetLife Stadium with a half-full crowd in attendance.
Falcons running back Bijan Robinson gave the Jets defense fits all day after rushing for 142 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Kirk Cousins, in his second start since starter Michael Penix Jr. went down for the season due to a partially torn ACL, finished with 234 passing yards and a touchdown.
In his third start of the season, Tyrod Taylor completed 17 of 28 passes for 172 yards with a 52-yard touchdown pass to Adonai Mitchell, which was the longest Jets play from scrimmage this season. Mitchell also finished with eight catches for 102 yards.
The Jets offense was stagnant in the first half after Taylor threw for just 37 yards. Gang Green’s offense clearly missed Garrett Wilson, who has missed his third consecutive game after being placed on injured reserve due to a knee injury.
As a team, the Jets had just 71 yards during the first 30 minutes. Taylor and the offense opened up the passing attack in the second half, but it was the Jets special teams that carried them against the Falcons.
With two minutes left in the game, Taylor scored a touchdown on a 10-yard run. Folk’s extra point tied the game at 24-24 with 1:53 remaining.
It was a snooze fest most of the first half with both offenses struggling. Atlanta didn’t find the end zone until nine seconds left in the second quarter after Tyler Allgeier scored on a one-yard touchdown run that tied the game at 7-7 following the successful extra point by Zane Gonzalez.
Following a first half in which their defense allowed just a touchdown, the Jets defense was anything but stellar in the second half. Just like a significant part of this season, Jets defenders missed tackles, were out of position, or both. Atlanta drove the ball 95 yards in eight plays, which was highlighted by a 42-yard reception by Robinson and a roughing the passer penalty by linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball, which put the Falcons inside the red zone. Robinson capped the drive with a five-yard touchdown that gave them a 14-7 lead.
With the game tied at 17-17, David Stills V made Ja-Sir Taylor miss on a tackle and Stills scored on a nine-yard touchdown that gave the Falcons a 24-17 lead with 8:52 remaining. After being one of the worst units in the NFL to start the season, the Jets defense has improved in recent weeks. But at times against the Falcons and Robinson, they reverted to the defense that struggled to get offenses off the field.
That was until the Jets forced the Falcons’ offense to go three-and-out with 1:36 left. Atlanta also had another chance to win the game in regulation, but the Jets also stopped them with two timeouts and 35 seconds left.
Taylor then rushed for 14 yards and threw a 10-yard pass and a five-yard pass to Mitchell, which put them in field goal range for Folk.
Entering Sunday’s game, the Jets registered just one takeaway all season, a fumble recovery during their Week 6 loss to the Broncos. But early in the second quarter, the Jets got their second takeaway of the season after Jamal Agnew muffed the punt return and Qwan’tez Stiggers recovered the ball on the Falcons’ two-yard line. That set up Breece Hall’s two-yard touchdown run, which was his third rushing score of the season.
Hall’s touchdown gave the Jets a 7-0 lead. Punter Austin McNamara helped set up the touchdown by pinning the Falcons inside the five-yard line. He finished with three punts inside the 20-yard line against Atlanta.
Folk has also been equally as good for the Jets this season, but his 55-yard field goal fell short, which was his first miss of the season. Gang Green had an opportunity to take the lead after Isaiah Williams’ 83-yard kickoff return in the fourth quarter. But John Metchie III dropped a possible touchdown on third down and the Jets settled for a Folk field goal, which tied the game with 13:26 remaining.
Folk would later be the hero as his field goal as time expired gave the Jets the three point victory.
The Jets will return to MetLife Stadium next weekend to host the Dolphins. Miami defeated the Jets 27-21 in their first matchup in Week 4.
