ATLANTA - Rookie quarterback Geno Smith suddenly looked like a wily ol’ veteran for the New York Jets.
Smith, a second-round pick out of West Virginia, threw three touchdown passes, didn’t turn the ball over and guided the Jets on a late drive that set up Nick Folk’s winning field goal on the final play, giving New York a 30-28 victory over the struggling Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.
The Falcons went ahead on the first play after the two-minute warning, but Smith completed four consecutive passes and also broke off an 8-yard run that set up Folk’s 43-yard field goal as time expired.
The Jets (3-2) have been waiting for this sort of performance from Smith, who came into the game leading the NFL with 11 turnovers, including eight interceptions. The previous week, he was intercepted twice and lost two fumbles in a 38-13 rout by the Tennessee Titans.
But on Monday, Smith completed 16 of 20 passes for 199 yards.
“I’ve been in this situation time and time again,” Smith said. “My confidence is always sky-high. Nothing can bring me down. I’m just going to continue to work. And we’re putting this one behind us. We’re getting on that bus, well enjoy it for a little bit, then get back to work.”
The Falcons rallied from a 27-14 deficit in the fourth quarter, going ahead on Matt Ryan’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Levine Toilolo with 1:54 remaining.
Jacquizz Rodgers scored on two touchdown runs, and Ryan also threw a scoring pass to Jason Snelling.
But the Falcons (1-4) are now mired in their longest losing streak since 2007. Considered a Super Bowl contender at the beginning of the season, they head into a bye week mired in a three game skid.
“He’s a rookie,” Atlanta safety William Moore said of Smith, “and we make him look like a 10-year veteran.”
The Jets led 17-7 after a goal-line stand on the final play of the first half.
Rodgers and the Falcons rallied in the second half. He scored on a 4-yard run midway through the third quarter, then broke off a 19-yard score to cut the Jets’ lead to 27-21 with 8:10 remaining.
The Falcons surged ahead, taking advantage of a holding call on Demario Davis (Arkansas State) after the Jets batted down a pass to Rodgers. Two plays later, Ryan hooked up with Toilolo, a backup tight end known more for his blocking, on the go-ahead touchdown.
But New York had plenty of time to pull off the winning drive.
Smith completed a 12-yard pass to Stephen Hill, a 13 yarder to Jeremy Kerley, and a 9-yarder to Hill again. Smith scrambled around left end to the Atlanta 38, handed off to Bilal Powell for a 4-yard run before hooking up with Clyde Gates on a 3-yard pass that had the Jets safely in Folk’s range. Powell rumbled for 6 yards, the Jets let the clock run down to 3 seconds and sent on Folk, who quieted the Georgia Dome crowd.
SUNDAY’S LATE GAME RAIDERS 27, CHARGERS 17
OAKLAND, Calif. - Terrelle Pryor threw two touchdown passes in the first quarter and Charles Woodson tied an NFL record with his 13th defensive touchdown to lead Oakland past San Diego.
Pryor got the Raiders (2-3) off to a fast start in the latest West Coast game in NFL history with a 44-yard touchdown pass to Rod Streater on Oakland’s first play from scrimmage.
The Raiders then used five turnovers, a goal-line stand, Woodson’s 25-yard return of Danny Woodhead’s fumble and two long field goals by Sebastian Janikowski to beat the Chargers (2-3).
Philip Rivers had his third 400-yard passing game of the season, throwing for 411 yards and 2 touchdowns with 3 interceptions.
Sports, Pages 21 on 10/08/2013