Jets’ Thrilling Win Over Falcons Revives Old Fears About a Costly Quarterback Gamble

Nick Folk’s 56-yard field goal gave the Jets a late 27-24 win over the Falcons at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Fans worry about how different the Jets’ quarterback situation may be from Atlanta’s.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins struggled. Atlanta beat the Jets 27–24 at MetLife Stadium on Sunday thanks to Nick Folk’s 56-yard field goal with seconds left. Fans worry about how different the Jets’ quarterback situation may be from Atlanta’s.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins struggled. An easy late-game throw to the fans ended his afternoon. Cousins’ inconsistent accuracy did not help on a rainy day when neither team started well. After injuring his Achilles, Atlanta offered him a big four-year contract and then surprised the league by picking Michael Penix Jr. seventh overall a few weeks later. This confused fans and shook the locker room. Cousins had to look over his shoulder before every snap as a high-paid starter.

Since Penix was the starter, the Falcons had to spend a lot on a backup quarterback. Sunday highlighted the effects of Penix’s absence on Cousins’ performance. Atlanta wants to make the playoffs, but the quarterback affects every play.

The 2023 Jets QB deal for Aaron Rodgers was bad, but not as bad as it could have been. Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon four snaps into his debut game, ruining two seasons. But the Jets moved quickly. If his dead cap money runs out in 2026, the team can make money decisions again. Atlanta’s QB plan and Cousins commitment are more complicated than the Jets’ reset.

Atlanta had little Sunday, but Jets did.

After Justin Fields left, Tyrod Taylor gave the Jets solid, diligent labor. After a quiet first half, a 52-yard touchdown pass to Adonai Mitchell, the team’s biggest play of the season, revived their offense Taylor got blasted in the third quarter. Taylor tied it again with a tough 10-yard run in the fourth quarter. He pushed the Jets into Falcons territory on the last drive, setting up Folk’s winning touchdown.

When the Jets needed a leader, Taylor threw for 179 yards, scored a touchdown, and ran for 44.

Great plays by Jets’ special teams may have won the game. A Falcons punt muffed deep in their own territory, and rookie Qwantez Stiggers recovered. This let Breece Hall score first. The Jets scored again in the fourth quarter when Isaiah Williams returned the kickoff 83 yards. This kept them playing. Jets got the ball for good on Austin McNamara’s late kick.

With injuries, bad play, and roster changes, Sunday’s triumph was one of the few times a struggling team made all three components work. The Jets are 3-9, but the win showed they can overcome displeasure.

Falcons struggle. The quarterback plan is unclear, we have a lot of debt, and our veteran starter is recovering from one of the worst football injuries. That comparison was almost as comforting as the Jets’ win. Headgear floats without hurting others sums up his afternoon. Cousins’ inconsistent accuracy did not help on a rainy day when neither team started well. After injuring his Achilles, Atlanta offered him a big four-year contract and then surprised the league by picking Michael Penix Jr. seventh overall a few weeks later. This confused fans and shook the locker room. Cousins had to look over his shoulder before every snap as a high-paid starter.

Since Penix was the starter, the Falcons had to spend a lot on a backup quarterback. Sunday highlighted the effects of Penix’s absence on Cousins’ performance. Atlanta wants to make the playoffs, but the quarterback affects every play.

The 2023 Jets QB deal for Aaron Rodgers was bad, but not as bad as it could have been. Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon four snaps into his debut game, ruining two seasons. But the Jets moved quickly. If his dead cap money runs out in 2026, the team can make money decisions again. Atlanta’s QB plan and Cousins commitment are more complicated than the Jets’ reset.

Atlanta had little Sunday, but Jets did.

After Justin Fields left, Tyrod Taylor gave the Jets solid, diligent labor. After a quiet first half, a 52-yard touchdown pass to Adonai Mitchell, the team’s biggest play of the season, revived their offense Taylor got blasted in the third quarter. Taylor tied it again with a tough 10-yard run in the fourth quarter. He pushed the Jets into Falcons territory on the last drive, setting up Folk’s winning touchdown.

When the Jets needed a leader, Taylor threw for 179 yards, scored a touchdown, and ran for 44.

Great plays by Jets’ special teams may have won the game. A Falcons punt muffed deep in their own territory, and rookie Qwantez Stiggers recovered. This let Breece Hall score first. The Jets scored again in the fourth quarter when Isaiah Williams returned the kickoff 83 yards. This kept them playing. Jets got the ball for good on Austin McNamara’s late kick.

With injuries, bad play, and roster changes, Sunday’s triumph was one of the few times a struggling team made all three components work. The Jets are 3-9, but the win showed they can overcome displeasure.

Falcons struggle. The quarterback plan is unclear, we have a lot of debt, and our veteran starter is recovering from one of the worst football injuries. That comparison was almost as comforting as the Jets’ win.