The Jets (3-9) earned a 27-24 victory over the Atlanta Falcons (4-8) at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Here are three takeaways from the game.
Nick Folk Seals the Win
Entering Week 13, Nick Folk was a perfect 20 of 20 on FG attempts this season and 15 of 15 on extra points. Folk's streak ended in cold, rainy conditions at MetLife Stadium on Sunday when his 55-yard attempt in the third quarter was no good. But that didn't stop the 41-year-old from nailing the game winner from 56 yards out as the time expired.
"There's nothing like playing on Sunday in front of the fans and getting a chance to help a team win -- there's nothing like that," Folk said. "Everyone gets to make the sundae; I just get to put the cherry on top. Just happy to help us get a win."
HC Aaron Glenn, who was teammates with Folk when the two overlapped in Dallas during the 2007 offseason, said of the veteran kicker: "I'm glad that we've got him. He still has years left to be able to play this game, but he's doing a hell of a job for us."
WR Adonai Mitchell 'Continues to Gel' with Tyrod Taylor in Career-Best Performance
In his third game as a Jet, WR Adonai Mitchell led the Green & White with a career-high 102 receiving yards. And when the Jets needed an offensive spark in the third quarter, he answered the bell with a 52-yard receiving TD, the first of his NFL career.
"[That was] something we had been talking about all week," QB Tyrod Taylor said of the play. "We got the perfect coverage for it and AD went up and made the play.
"AD is a very special talent. … If you put the ball around him, he's going to catch it."
But while Mitchell broke through with a career-best day, HC Aaron Glenn stressed that it's only the beginning for him and WR John Metchie III, who both joined the Jets midseason after being acquired via trade.
"Those guys need to gel," Glenn said of the receivers and Taylor. "It takes time. I know we think this is a league where you can just put somebody in and it can just happen, but it's not like that."
Glenn said both Mitchell and Metchie have put in extra work since their arrival, and he is confident that with more reps, the newcomers will continue to improve.
"Just to see how those guys work, I expect to see those guys make plays like that."
Special Teams Continues to be a Weapon
Special teams has been a bright spot for the Jets all season. From game-changing returns to field position advantages, the unit has consistently executed at a high level under the leadership of first-year special teams coordinator Chris Banjo.
"I'm one of the coaches that truly believes that special teams can change the momentum of a game," HC Aaron Glenn said Sunday. "Those guys have been coming through for us damn near every game."
Glenn added of Banjo on Monday: "He is a former player, so those guys can relate to him really well. He was one of those guys that was a true special teams demon, so he understands how that part of our team has to operate in and out."
Nick Folk's game-winning FG was one of many standout plays by the unit on Sunday. Early in the second quarter, Austin McNamara punted the ball to the 7-yard line, where Falcons WR Jamal Agnew muffed the catch and CB Qwan'tez Stiggers jumped on the ball. One play later, RB Breece Hall found the end zone for a 2-yard score.
In the fourth quarter, WR Isaiah Williams added to his impressive season with an 83-yard kick return that set up a 32-yard FG.
And McNamara, whom Glenn described as "our sniper" finished the day with 3 punts downed inside the 20-yard line. The first-year punter has now had 22 punts downed inside the 20, which is the fourth most in the league.
"Consistency is the main part of the game, at least for punters," McNamara said. "If you're consistent, I've learned that you'll be able to play for a long time. So that's what I'm trying to work towards."
