Nick Folk’s game-winning field goal gives Jets win over Bijan Robinson, Falcons

Special teams continue to be the Jets’ elite.

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 in front of a half-full crowd.

Falcons running back Bijan Robinson gave the Jets defense a beating 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 with a partial ACL tear, 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 Jets’ longest play from scrimmage this season. Mitchell also finished with eight catches for 102 yards.

The Jets offense stalled in the first half after Taylor threw for just 37 yards. The Gang Green offense clearly missed Garrett Wilson, who missed his third straight game after being placed on injured reserve with a knee injury.

As a team, the Jets only had 71 yards in 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 left.

It was a snooze fest for 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 1-yard touchdown run that tied the game at 7-7 after Zane Gonzalez’s successful extra point.

After a first half in which their defense only allowed one touchdown, the Jets defense was anything but stellar in the second half. Much 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 passer penalty by linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball, which put the Falcons in the red zone. Robinson capped the drive with a five-yard touchdown run that gave them a 14-7 lead.

With the game tied at 17-17, David Stills V had Ja-Sir Taylor miss a tackle and Stills scored on a nine-yard touchdown run that gave the Falcons a 24-17 lead with 8:52 left. 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 turned to defense that struggled to get offenses off the field.

That was until the Jets forced the Falcons offense into a three-and-out with 1:36 left. Atlanta also had another chance to win the game in regulation, but the Jets stopped them as well with two timeouts and 35 seconds left.

Taylor then rushed 14 yards and threw a 10-yard pass and a five-yard pass to Mitchell, putting them within field goal range for Folk.

Entering Sunday’s game, the Jets had recorded just one takeaway all season, a fumble recovery in 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 fumbled the punt return and Qwan’tez Stiggers recovered the ball at the Falcons’ two-yard line. This allowed Breece Hall to score a 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 just 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 a chance to take the lead after Isaiah Williams’ 83-yard kickoff return in the fourth quarter. But John Metchie III gave up 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 basket as time expired gave the Jets the three-point victory.

The Jets will return to MetLife Stadium next weekend to host the Dolphins. Miami beat the Jets 27-21 in their Week 4 opener.