Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Rookie QB Geno Smith leads the Jets to a comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons Monday.
If anyone had any doubts that the Jets were the best football team in New York, those were put to rest Monday night.
The Jets had all but blown it: a fourth quarter lead, on the road, against a highly-touted opponent. But with under two minutes to go, and down 1, Geno Smith led the Jets on another game-winning drive, just like he did against Tampa Bay – and he didn’t need a defense taking bad penalty to finish it off this time.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
DeMario Davis and the Jets celebrate the win, which puts them at 3-2 on the season.
And, just like against the Bucs, Nick Folk hit a field goal as time expired to win it, 30-28.
The Jets had held a 27-14 lead in the fourth quarter, but strong play from Matt Ryan and a flukey call against the Jets gave the Falcons a 28-27 lead inside the two-minute warning. But Smith lead the Jets on an eight-play, 55-yard drive to set up the winning kick and secure the upset in Atlanta.
The Jets are 3-2.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Matt Ryan and the Falcons offense is floored by Quinton Coples (r.) and the Gang Green defense.
Smith was excellent: precise and error-free. He finished 16 for 20 for 199 yards, three touchdowns, and no turnovers.
The defense stomped on the Falcons offensive line and spent the night making Matt Ryan miserable.
Down 7-3 in the first quarter, the Jets responded quickly with a productive drive on their own: one that featured a 26-yard run from Mike Goodson — making his debut after a four-game suspension – and ended with a terrific back-shoulder 20-yard touchdown catch by TE Jeff Cumberland, putting Gang Green up 10-7.
John Bazemore/AP
Nick Folk pumps his fist after booting the winning field goal.
While Ryan was under constant pressure from the Jets defensive line, Smith was given all day to throw on his end. And it was because of that the QB was able to lead a three-play, 66-yard TD drive in the second quarter. First, Smith found Cumberland, who had an excellent night, for a 47-yard completion. Right after, he found Jeremy Kerley who broke a tackle for a 16-yard touchdown with 7:19 left in the half, giving the Jets a surprising 17-7 lead.
It was the first time the Jets scored in their first possessions since 2008. Smith ended the first half with a perfect passer rating of 158.3.
In the final drive of the half, the Jets came up with a huge stop. The Falcons had them on the ropes: 1st and goal at the Jets 4-yard line. The Jets held strong for three plays and then, going for it on fourth down, Demario Davis committed a pass interference penalty that gave the Falcons one last chance with two seconds remaining. Atlanta went for it again, but Jacquizz Rodgers was stuffed from the 1 by Sheldon Richardson and the dominating Jets defensive line. Rex Ryan held two fists aloft as his team entered the locker room with a surprising 17-7 lead.
David Goldman/AP
Rex Ryan must be pleased that his team is over the .500 mark.
The Falcons didn’t shut down after being stuffed on the goalline to end the half, however. In their first drive of the second half, Atlanta marched down the field for an 8-play, 50-yard drive that ended with a Jacquizz Rodgers four-yard touchdown run to cut the Jet lead to 17-14.
With 3:25 left in the third quarter, the Jets defense did something it hadn’t done since Week 1: cause a turnover. Muhammad Wilkerson stripped the ball out of Matt Ryan’s hand, and it was fallen on by Leger Douzable. That turnover turned into a 36-yard field goal, giving the Jets a 20-14 advantage.
With 12 minutes left in the game, the Jets struck again. Smith, capitalizing on strong field position following a Kerley return and a 19-yard run by Ivory, threw a one-yard touchdown to Kellen Winslow. The touch pass in the back of the end zone gave the Jets a 27-14 advantage. Ryan didn’t elect to go for two, however, which nearly ended up costing them later.
The Falcons reduced that lead to six when Ryan lead a 10-play, 80-yard drive that was completed by a 19-yard touchdown drive by Jacquizz Rodgers.
But the Jets offense stalled again, and Ryan, down 27-21, lead the Falcons on a killer drive. Finally, Ryan was able to complete a long pass to Jones – something they had tried all day – and this time Jones beat Cromartie for a 46-yard pass. Again, the Jets were called for a penalty on fourth down for trying to stop Gonzalez with a double-vice near the goalline, though this time it seemed more than dubious. That gave Atlanta a first down, and with 1:54 left in the game, Ryan found Levine Toilolo for a touchdown, putting the Falcons up 28-27.
Smith, with under two minutes remaining, brought the Jets downfield to the Falcons 25-yard line with 3 seconds left. Nick Folk hit the 43-yarder to win it.
Twitter.com/SethWalderNYDN
http://newyork.greatlocalnews.info/?p=15268
via Great Local News: New York http://newyork.greatlocalnews.info
No comments:
Post a Comment