As November came to a close, on a dark, cold, gray day at MetLife Stadium, the Jets (3-9) prevailed over the Atlanta Falcons (4-8), 27-24, in a back-and-forth battle that ended with a game-winning 56-yard field goal from 41-year-old kicker Nick Folk.
“There’s nothing like playing on Sunday in front of your fans,” Folk said. “Getting a chance to help your team win – there’s nothing like that. I tell everyone that I just get to put the cherry on top. Everyone gets to make the sundae – I just get to put the cherry on top. Just happy to help us get a win.”
Down by 7 with under 9 minutes remaining in the game, Tyrod Taylor commanded a 15-play, 65-yard drive capped with a 10-yard rushing TD by the QB. Atlanta and New York then exchanged three-and-outs, and the Falcons took the ball with 1:06 remaining. The Jets defense then came up with a stop when it mattered most, forcing yet another three-and-out to put the ball back in the hands of Taylor and the offense with 44 seconds remaining.
Adonai Mitchell, who had a career game for the Jets with 8 receptions for 102 yards and 1 TD, picked up 15 critical yards to help move the ball into Atlanta territory.
Folk came out onto the field with just :05 remaining and converted the 56-yard attempt to secure the win.
“Man, you talk about back and forth, ebbs and flows of how a game goes,” said HC Aaron Glenn. “Just the grit that we’ve been talking about for some time and our guys just being able to gut this game out.”
In the first quarter, the Jets took advantage of a muffed punt to take an early 7-0 lead. Falcons return man Jamal Agnew mishandled Austin McNamara‘s punt inside the shadow of his own goal line and Qwan’tez Stiggers recovered at the 2-yard-line. On the ensuring play, RB Breece Hall (19-68) punched it in for the score.