New York Jets Stun Rival With Last-Second Touchdown: What the Season-Changing Win Means for the NFL Playoff Race

In an emotional Week 8 thriller at Paycor Stadium, the New York Jets clawed out a 39-38 comeback victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, snapping a six-game skid and claiming their first win of the 2025 NFL season just hours after beloved former center Nick Mangold’s death was announced. Playing with black No. 74 decals on their helmets, the Jets stormed back from a 14-point third-quarter deficit behind a career performance from running back Breece Hall. Hall gashed the Bengals for 133 rushing yards, punched in two touchdowns on the ground, and delivered the game’s signature moment: a trick-play jump pass to rookie tight end Mason Taylor for a go-ahead four-yard score with 1:54 remaining. Quarterback Justin Fields complemented Hall’s heroics with 276 passing yards, two touchdowns and 63 yards on the ground, keeping Cincinnati’s front seven off balance with designed keepers and run-pass options. Wideout Garrett Wilson (8 catches, 102 yards) repeatedly found soft spots in Lou Anarumo’s zone looks, while second-year receiver Isaiah Davis flipped the field on a pivotal 50-yard jet sweep late in the fourth quarter. Robert Saleh’s defense bent but refused to break in crunch time. After surrendering four Joe Burrow touchdown passes, the unit stiffened on Cincinnati’s final drive as edge rusher Jermaine Johnson forced an intentional-grounding penalty and cornerback D.J. Reed knocked away a fourth-and-12 heave to Tee Higgins with eight seconds left. Key takeaways for Gang Green fans and fantasy managers alike: • Breece Hall’s dual-threat usage appears locked in. His 24 touches and red-zone creativity signal RB1 status going forward. • Justin Fields’ accuracy on intermediate throws (11-for-14 between 10–19 yards) marks tangible progress in Nathaniel Hackett’s scheme. • First-round corner Sauce Gardner sat out with a lingering hamstring injury, but rookie Jamari Banks held his own, allowing just 27 yards on five targets. • The Jets improved to 1-6, avoiding their first 0-7 start since 1996. They’ll host the 5-2 Buffalo Bills on Monday night, a matchup suddenly rich with AFC East storylines. Honoring Nick Mangold The victory carried heightened meaning following the morning death of franchise icon Nick Mangold at age 41 due to complications from kidney disease. Mangold anchored the Jets’ offensive line from 2006-2016, earning seven Pro Bowl nods and helping power consecutive AFC Championship Game runs in 2009 and 2010. In the post-game locker room, Saleh presented a game ball to Mangold’s family via FaceTime, and team captain C.J. Mosley vowed the rest of the season would be dedicated to “Big Nick’s” memory. Playoff pulse still faint—but beating At 1-6, the Jets remain long shots in the crowded AFC wild-card race, yet ESPN’s Football Power Index bumped their postseason odds from 1.2 % to 5.8 % overnight. An upset of the Bills would push that figure into double digits and, more importantly, reinforce emerging chemistry between Fields, Hall and a rebuilt offensive line that finally gelled after weeks of shuffling. SEO spotlight: Fans searching for “Jets vs Bengals highlights,” “Breece Hall passing TD,” “Nick Mangold death reaction,” and “Jets first win 2025” will find no shortage of viral clips—but Sunday’s takeaway is bigger than a box score. For the first time all year, the New York Jets proved they can turn heartbreak into fuel, and that may make them the AFC’s most intriguing spoiler down the stretch.