Winning in the NFL is never easy, especially when you are the last team without a victory. The New York Jets, however, received what felt like divine intervention on Sunday, scoring 23 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to stun the Cincinnati Bengals 39-38.
How Did the Jets Manage the Improbable Comeback?
For the second straight week, the NFL saw a team score more than 20 points in the final frame to erase a massive deficit and secure a win. Last weekend, the Denver Broncos scored 33 points in the fourth quarter. This week, the Jets nearly recreated that feat, overcoming the Bengals’ 15-point and 14-point leads.
The comeback was spearheaded by Breece Hall, who ran for two touchdowns and then threw a go-ahead touchdown pass to Mason Taylor with less than two minutes remaining. Following that incredible score, the Jets’ defense did the rest. They held Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco to just 1-for-6 passing for seven yards on Cincinnati’s final two drives, sealing the victory. Before that, Flacco had been effective, completing 21 of 34 passes for 223 yards and a rushing touchdown.
The euphoric feeling was palpable for a fan base that entered the 2025 season with renewed hope under new head coach Aaron Glenn and new quarterback Justin Fields. The dramatic win led one fan to post, “I forgot what this feels like ngl…”
I forgot what this feels like ngl… 😭
— Ghost Tanzer (@Tanzer) October 26, 2025
The Jets organization and its fans were struck by tragic news early Sunday morning. Former Jets offensive lineman Nick Mangold passed away at the age of 41 from chronic kidney disease. Tributes from former teammates and coaches poured across social media, celebrating what a great man the 11-year Jet was.
Given how New York’s season had gone and facing a 31-16 deficit heading into the final quarter, it felt like a miracle was needed to avoid an eighth straight loss. It seems Mangold may have been with them in spirit on Sunday. As one fan noted, “That wins for you Nick good job Jets.”
That wins for you Nick 🕊️ 🙏🏾 good job Jets https://t.co/KkhNyOP7Ye
— Walk-Off (@yeah_thatzkong) October 26, 2025
In fact, the only current member of the Jets roster who was a teammate of Mangold is kicker Nick Folk, who was a perfect 3-for-3 on his field goal attempts today.
How Did Justin Fields Perform After His Benching and the Owner’s Comments?
Justin Fields was not even supposed to start in Sunday’s thrilling win. He had been benched after last week’s 13-6 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Fifteen-year veteran Tyrod Taylor was scheduled to get the start, but he was sidelined due to a knee injury suffered in practice, thrusting Fields back into the lineup.
Adding to the drama were comments made earlier in the week by Jets owner Woody Johnson, who called out Fields, saying, “If you look at any head coach with a quarterback like that, you are going to see similar results across the league. You have to play consistently at that position and that’s what we’re going to try to do for the remainder of the season.”
So, how did Fields respond to the pressure? He answered by throwing for 244 yards and a touchdown without a single interception or sack. As one X user pointed out, the postgame interaction might be a little tense: “That’s gonna be pretty awkward in the locker room with Justin Fields and Woody Johnson.”
That’s gonna be pretty awkward in the locker room with Justin Fields and Woody Johnson
— Erick (@EKlambara) October 26, 2025
For better or worse, the Jets have always been a circus. After a week like this, one can only imagine what is happening at 1 Jets Drive in Florham Park this week.
