Atlanta jumped out to a 16-0 first-half lead behind effective performances from both Marcus Mariota (6-of-10 for 132 yards and a touchdown) and Desmond Reeder (10-of-13 for 143 yards), but New York held on for a second. -Score a fourth goal and then stage a comeback after half-time once the deep backups come into play. The Jets got their touchdowns thanks to wide receiver Lawrence Cager on a 34-yard run, La’Mical Perine on a seven-yard run that bounced all the way out of a packed box and Bradlee Anae on a drive. timely rebound that he took home to give New York the lead for good. Atlanta had one last chance to tie the game late in the fourth quarter, but Felipe Franks’ pass went over Anthony Firkser’s head and went out of bounds.
Why the Jets won
Well, mostly because their third-string offense found a way to move the ball, and Atlanta’s didn’t. It started with a drive late in the first half in which Denzel Mims made the big play to put the team in the end zone. After halftime, Chris Streveler made some plays with his arm and legs, including a touchdown toss to Cager and multiple tackles that kept drives alive. Meanwhile, New York’s defense held Franks to just 2 of 6 passing for eight yards after giving up 275 yards to Mariota and Ridder on just 23 attempts.
Why the Falcons lost
Franks and the third-string offense were completely shut down by the Jets’ defense, while Streveler was able to find some holes in Atlanta’s coverage unit that weren’t available to Mike White for much of the first half. Additionally, Atlanta’s offensive line failed to create rushing lanes for Caleb Huntley, who was repeatedly stopped at or around the line of scrimmage, including a couple of short-yardage opportunities. In addition, Franks was not accurate when he calculated to throw the ball.
Highlight the game
With New York holding a 1-point lead early in the fourth quarter, the Falcons faced a third-and-8 from their own 40-yard line. That’s when Anae made what turned out to be the game-clinching play. Anae did a great job of not biting too hard on Franks’ play-action fake and sticking with the quarterback as he tried to get up the left side. He dove and Franks’ legs reached to knock the quarterback to the ground, where his attempt to break his fall with the football resulted in a fumble. From there, all Anae had to do was pick it up and carry it into the end zone himself.
What’s next
The Jets take on their MetLife Stadium brethren, the New York Giants, in their final preseason game of the 2022 season. The Jets are technically the home team for that game, for what it’s worth. They will look to improve to 3-0 in their scheduled games before taking on the Ravens in Week 1. The Falcons host the Jacksonville Jaguars in their final preseason contest. This match will be played on Saturday at 3 p.m. They will then have just over two weeks to prepare for their season opener against the division rival New Orleans Saints.
