Atlanta, Georgia – Matt Ryan doesn’t lose at home, and he certainly doesn’t lose back-to-back home games. At the very least, a Jets team embarrassed in Tennessee and without top wideout Santonio Holmes wasn’t the team to do it. That was the popular thought before the game, but after an impressive and turnover free performance by rookie quarterback Geno Smith, the Jets left the Georgia Dome with a 30-28 victory.
Smith didn’t throw for 300 yards, but he completed 16-of-20 passes and added three touchdowns in his first turnover free game. More importantly he led the Jets down the field with ease to set Nick Folk up for the game-winning 44-yard field goal as time expired.
Matty Ice did his job. He gave his team the lead the last time he touched the ball, and carried an offense that could only muster 64 yards rushing on 22 carries. His one blemish was a fumble that had more to do with the guy who forced it, Muhammad Wilkerson.
Wilkerson had a phenomenal game in front of the national audience, and so did the front seven for the most part. The defense’s biggest problems came from poor tackling, and the secondary struggled again this week. But they were still able to keep the Falcon’s offense to just 14 points till about halfway through the 4th quarter, and the last touchdown was aided by a questionable defensive holding penalty.
Still the story of the game is an offense that was able to clean up its turnover issue, and move the ball with ease for much of the day. It was Jeff Cumberland who stood out with a career night, hauling in 3 passes for 79 yards including a touchdown. Kellen Winslow and Jeremy Kerley had the other two touchdown grabs.
It was also the debut of the three-headed monster at running back with Mike Goodson back from suspension, and Chris Ivory active after missing last week with a hamstring injury. In limited time Goodson showed the explosion the team was hoping for when they signed him in the offseason. Overall the trio finished with 97 yards on 19 carries.
Smith and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg had a great game, and should give Jets fans hope moving forward as they advance to 3-2 on the season. That has them tied with the Dolphins and only a game out of New England. A 3-point loss in Foxborough is the only thing separating the two teams in the standings.
Next week the Jets return home to take on the 0-4 Steelers.
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