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.
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 Qwant'tez Stiggers recovered at the 2-yard-line. On the ensuring play, RB Breece Hall punched it in for the score.
After being scoreless for the majority of the first half, Atlanta made it a 7-7 game on a Tyler Allgeier 1-yard TD run. While Allgeier got the touchdown, RB Bijan Robinson was the visitor's workhorse in the first half with 90 rush yards on 13 carries (6.9 per).
McNamara pinned the Falcons deep early in the third quarter, but the visitors responded with a 95-yard drive, taking the lead on Robinson's 5-yard scoring run with 9:36 remaining in the third quarter. Robinson's 42-yard catch and run, plus a roughing the passer penalty on LB Marcelino McCrary Ball, flipped the field for Atlanta.
Stuck in quicksand for most of the first two-and-a-half, the Jets' offense got a lightning strike from Tyrod Taylor and Adonai Mitchell in the third. The recently acquired receiver flashed his has speed and Taylor was on the money with a 52-yard scoring connection -- the Jets' longest TD of the season -- and knotted the game at 14.
After the long score, kickers Zane Gonzalez (from 50 yards) and Nick Folk (from 55) exchanged field goal misses before Gonzalez's 55-yard boot gave the Falcons at 17-14 lead at the end of the third quarter.
But Isaiah Williams returned the ensuing kickoff 83 yards and the Jets had a golden opportunity to take the lead. But the Jets had to settle for a 32-yard field goal from Folk.
Atlanta responded with a 74-yard scoring drive of its own, getting 31 yards on a toss to Allgeier before Kirk Cousins found David Sills for a 9-yard TD.
Down by 7 with under 9 minutes remaining in the game, 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. 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.
Jetcetera
The Jets started the same five offensive linemen for the 12th consecutive game. They are the only NFL team to have the start the same unit in every game and it's the first time it's happened for the team since 2012. … DL Micheal Clemons and S Tony Adams both recorded first-half sacks of Kirk Cousins. … CB Jarvis Brownlee and rookie WR Arian Smith were among the Jets gameday inactives. …. Veteran K Nick Folk, who started the season with 20 consecutive FG conversions, saw his streak come to an end in the third quarter when his 55-yard boot fell short and to the right of the uprights.
See all of the best game photos from the Jets Week 13 game against the Falcons.
