The Falcons didn’t have the cleanest performance in driving rain and win at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, but they were able to do enough right to leave New Jersey with a 25-20 victory.
Matt Ryan hit Mohamed Sanu for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to take their first lead of the game and the Jets handed over a golden opportunity to try to take it back when Jeremy Kerley muffed a punt a few minutes later. It was one of several miscues that appeared to have at least something to do with the weather and a costly one for the Jets as the Falcons kicked a field goal that ensured the Jets would need a touchdown to win the game.
The Jets would punt after three plays on their next drive and the final possession ended when tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins couldn’t get lined up in time to spike the ball after a catch in the middle of the field.
There may have been a cost to the win for the Falcons as well. Running back Devonta Freeman appeared to suffer a possible arm or shoulder injury on one of Atlanta’s final offensive plays, leaving Tevin Coleman to finish up the game at tailback. Coleman produced one of the biggest plays of the day for the Falcons when he ran 52 yards to set up Sanu’s touchdown. They sprinkled in a few other big gainers through the air, including a 53-yarder to Julio Jones, that helped overcome earlier sloppiness.
A defense that held the Jets to 15 first downs and a 5-of-15 conversion rate on third down helped a great deal for a Falcons team that is now 4-3 and headed for a crucial NFC South matchup with the Panthers in Carolina next Sunday.