Folk Hero, Part Deux
It seems Rex Ryan would be pleased. Years ago, he dubbed Jets kicker Nick Folk as a “folk hero” during his coaching tenure, and on Sunday, Folk lived up to that title once again. In a nail-biter against the Falcons at MetLife Stadium, he sealed a 27-24 victory with an impressive low, 56-yard field goal—his kick coming on the very last play of the game.
The Falcons had briefly led 24-17 with 8:46 remaining when quarterback Kirk Cousins found former Giants receiver David Sills V for a 9-yard touchdown pass. Sills managed to shake off Jets cornerback Jasar Taylor, catching the ball comfortably in the right flat.
This touchdown was a notable moment for Sills, who, after spending 2021 and 2022 with the Giants, scored his first NFL touchdown just the week before.
However, the Jets quickly responded. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor executed a 10-yard scramble, rushing for a touchdown that tied the game at 24-24 with just 1:53 left in the fourth quarter. That was Taylor’s first rushing touchdown since 2021, when he was with the Texans, concluding a 15-play drive that lasted nearly seven minutes.
With only 35 seconds on the clock, the Jets seized their final chance, moving the ball to the Atlanta 38-yard line. In a bit of irony, Folk was set to attempt a 56-yarder—only moments before he’d missed a 55-yarder in the second half.
His earlier attempt went off to the right, but this time he found success, sending the ball to the bottom left corner of the goalposts.
Despite struggles throughout the game—where their defense struggled against the Falcons’ strong run game led by Bejan Robinson and Tyler Allgaier—the Jets clawed back. Robinson shone, racking up 142 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 carries, while also catching five passes for 51 yards. Allgaier added 20 rushing yards and another touchdown.
New York initially went ahead 7-0 with a 2-yard touchdown run from running back Breece Hall, only a minute into the second quarter. This was set up by a botched punt recovery, allowing Jets cornerback Quantez Stigers to seize the ball at the Falcons’ 2-yard line—leading to Hall’s swift score.
Interestingly, this marked the 11th consecutive time the Jets have lost a game after leading at some point. During the first half, their offensive limitations showed; they managed only five first downs compared to Atlanta’s 13, and recorded a mere 71 offensive yards against the Falcons’ 172.
Atlanta tied the game just before halftime, with Allgaier scoring on a 1-yard run. Then a 95-yard drive in the third quarter ended with Robinson’s 5-yard TD run, putting the Falcons ahead 14-7.
Yet the Jets were quick to retaliate, leveling the score once more at 14-14 moments later with a 55-yard touchdown completion from Taylor to receiver AD Mitchell, who had just been traded from the Colts. That marked Mitchell’s first touchdown in the NFL.
Unfortunately for the Falcons, cornerback Mike Hughes was injured during that play, which impacted subsequent drives. On a following series, kicker Zane Gonzalez, who had been flawless until that point, missed a 50-yard attempt, enabling the Jets to maintain their footing.
Conversely, Folk had his own misstep with a failed 55-yard attempt on the Jets’ next possession but redeemed himself later on. After Gonzalez kicked a 52-yarder for a 17-14 Falcons lead, Folk tied the game again, this time with a successful 32-yard field goal. This surge was fueled by an explosive 83-yard kickoff return by Jets receiver Isaiah Williams.
Amidst all this, there were moments where the Jets should have pushed harder, like when receiver John Metchie III almost scored on a third-and-four from the Atlanta 9-yard line instead of opting for a field goal.
