Falcons Fly Out of NY With Win Over Jets

The Atlanta Falcons got a victory today that wasn’t a blowout, but these days, when wins are hard to come by, a win is a win.

The Falcons played the struggling, Aaron Rodgers-less (for now) New York Jets on their home turf. The Jets didn’t make it easy for the Falcons by any means and through the game, the worry that the slow, low-scoring game could fall in the loss column for the Dirty Birds was palpable. But the Falcons held the line, with the defense only letting the Jets get eight points through the game.

Busted out the Timbs for this one pic.twitter.com/pxOKuFoLoO

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) December 4, 2023

The problem for the Falcons was the Jets’ defense was so potent that their offense could not break away and score points en masse either. They could only get 13 points, including a single touchdown, thanks to MyCole Pruitt hauling a 20-yard pass from quarterback Desmond Ridder in the second quarter. That was the only touchdown in the game for either team. The Jets’ errors (two fumbles and an interception) stymied them, whereas the Falcons had no turnover issues.

Special teams on both sides made up the scoring today. Two field goals and a safety for the Jets, and the Falcons’ Younghoe Koo kicking in the rest of the Falcons points.

Ridder went 12 of 27 for 121 yards.  Bijan Robinson got 53 rush yards from 18 carries, and Kyle Pitts got 51 yards from four receptions.

The Jets Tim Boyle went 14 of 25 for 148 yards.

As unremarkable as the score (or really the game was), it helped to steady the Falcon’s ship. They are now 6-6 for the season, back at .500, and lead the NFC South for a second week. They face back-to-back conference games starting with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next week at home, and then the Carolina Panthers that could put them in strong playoff contention, provided they win those games.

Some wins don’t need to be remarkable. They just need to be wins.

by Brian Allen, founding editor, Sports In The ATL