When we talk about game-changing moments in football, it’s easy to get swept up in highlight-reel touchdowns or clutch defensive stops. But sometimes, the plays that don’t make the top ten countdowns are the ones that swing the game. Case in point: the Jets' Week 13 win over the Falcons - a game where special teams didn’t just show up, they helped seal the deal.
Yes, the big moments were there. Qwan’tez Stiggers’ recovery of a muffed punt at the 2-yard line set up a touchdown.
Isaiah Williams’ 83-yard kickoff return led to a field goal. Those are the kind of splash plays that get noticed.
But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find a sequence late in the fourth quarter that tells the real story of how the Jets’ special teams quietly took control.
With just over a minute left in regulation, the Jets were pinned deep in their own territory. The offense had stalled, and they were staring down a punt from their own 13-yard line.
In a tight game like this, field position is everything. A shaky punt or a decent return could’ve handed the Falcons the ball already in range to steal it with a field goal.
Instead, rookie punter Austin McNamara stepped up and delivered a bomb - a 55-yard punt that flipped the field. But the play didn’t end there.
Stiggers, lined up as the right gunner, fought through a double team and brought down Jamal Agnew after just a 1-yard return. That’s a 54-yard net punt under pressure, with the game on the line.
That kind of execution doesn’t show up in fantasy stats, but it’s the kind of hidden yardage that wins games.
The Falcons still had decent field position, starting at their own 33, but they couldn’t capitalize. A quick three-and-out forced them to punt it back. That’s when the Jets’ special teams made another quiet statement.
Bradley Pinion’s punt for Atlanta only went 40 yards - not disastrous, but not great either. More importantly, it lacked hang time.
That gave Isaiah Williams the window he needed. He fielded it cleanly, found a crease, made one man miss, and picked up 16 yards on the return.
Now, that might not sound like much, but here’s the math: McNamara’s punt netted 54 yards. Pinion’s?
Just 24. That’s a 30-yard swing in field position in a matter of minutes, all thanks to disciplined, heads-up special teams play.
And when your offense has been struggling for most of the afternoon, that kind of boost is invaluable. The Jets only needed to move the ball 19 yards to get into Nick Folk’s range for the game-winning field goal. They did just that.
So while the box score might tell the story of a close win, the film shows something else: special teams stepping up in the clutch. From McNamara’s booming punt to Stiggers’ textbook coverage to Williams’ smart return, this was a three-phase effort - and the third phase delivered when it mattered most.
It’s easy to overlook special teams until they cost you a game. But in this one, they won the Jets a game. Maybe now, they’ll get the credit they’ve earned.