Mickey Togs

A sterling second half allowed the New York Jets to end a lengthy losing streak.

If whatever was said in the New York Jets‘ locker room during the halftime break of Sunday’s Week 14 tilt against the Houston Texans, it could perhaps make millions on the motivational market.

After an imperfect opening half that featured punts on 11 of a dozen possessions, the Jets broke through for five scores over the latter half-hour en route to a 30-6 victory over Houston. Zach Wilson was responsible for two of the touchdowns through the air while Xavier Gipson ran in another.

With the win, the Jets (5-8) ended a five-game losing streak and scored three touchdowns in a single game for the first time since a November 2022 win over Chicago. The Jets also owned a three-possession lead for the first time this season.

Defenses ruled the way in the first 30, but an unlikely hero broke through on the scoreboard: in the capper of a seven-play, 75-yard drive to open the second half, Wilson found Randall Cobb from 15 away, accounting for the former Aaron Rodgers disciple’s first score as a Jet.

Joe Burrow has been all the Cincinnati Bengals hoped for when they selected the quarterback No. 1 overall in the 2020 NFL draft.

The Cincinnati Bengals and quarterback Joe Burrow have agreed on a new five-year, $275 million deal, which will make him the highest-paid player in NFL history.

Burrow was entering the final guaranteed year of his rookie contract. Many spectated Burrow would be in line for a record-setting deal with the quarterback pay scale having increased from Jalen Hurts‘ then-record-setting extension with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Burrow has met lofty expectations during his first three seasons, leading the Bengals to postseason berths in each of the past two seasons, which included snapping a 15-year playoff drought during the team’s AFC championship season in 2021 and a combined 22-10 record in his past 32 regular-season starts.

The Falcons are in first place in the NFC West. They beat a dismal Jets team in a game with little offense.

Desmond Ridder threw a touchdown in the first half and the Atlanta Falcons didn’t allow the New York Jets into the end zone at all during a 13-8 win at MetLife Stadium. The victory moves the Falcons to 6-6 on the season and pushes them ahead of the Saints in the division thanks to New Orleans’ loss to the Lions on Sunday.

The Jets tried to spark something offensively by replacing Tim Boyle with Trevor Siemian in the fourth quarter, but he was 5-of-13 for 66 yards and the game ended on a sack by Arnold Ebiketie on a fourth down with less than a minute to play.

With the Jets now 4-8, thoughts of an Aaron Rodgers return are likely all but extinguished if being alive in the playoff race is a true consideration.

The Falcons have a lot more to play with, although they’re going to need better offensive performances to finish the job. Ridder was 11-of-26 for 101 yards outside of a 20-yard touchdown to tight end MyCole Pruitt, they ran for 91 yards on 34 attempts and the Falcons punted on five of six second half possessions before kneeling out the clock.