New York overcomes difficult week including Nick Mangold’s death and self-made quarterback controversy
The New York Jets beat the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday and that’s a feat in of itself because this team hadn’t won a game all season. But the Jets didn’t just beat the other team, they overcame their owner, and their coach and the sad news of a death in the family.
Terrible Jets Week Ends In Victory
So this was a wonderful, terrible, marvelous, atrocious Jets way to do things.
It was the Jets jetting. And it was also the Jets eventually overcoming some legitimately rough circumstances.
The result this day was 39-38 win, as running back Breece Hall took a toss from quarterback Justin Fields and threw a deciding TD pass to tight end Mason Taylor with 1:54 to play to give the team its eventual margin of victory.
Great!
The Jets are now 1-7 and are no longer the NFL’s only winless teams.
Jets Difficult Journey To Victory
But what if I told you the journey this team took to this victory included …
The quarterback being benched last week.
And an ensuing quarterback competition last week.
And the team’s owner throwing the presumptive starting quarterback under the bus on Tuesday.
And the coach refusing to name his starter all week long.
And one of the quarterbacks involved in the competition ultimately being unable to play because of injury.
(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Image)
Nick Mangold Death Another Blow
It gets worse.
On Saturday night, Nick Mangold, a former center from a decade ago on the last Jets team to have any playoff success, died of complications from kidney disease. Former coach Rex Ryan could not hold it together when addressing this tragedy on air at ESPN.
“I didn’t play with him, but I was here as a scout when he was playing and he was the heart and soul of the team,” coach Aaron Glenn said.
And then, get this one, the quarterback that was thrown under the bus by ownership, and won the starting competition by default simply because he was healthy enough to play, delivered his best game of the season.
All of that happened for the Jets this week. Every single thing.
And the result was as surprising as it was compelling.
Fields Overcomes Johnson Criticism
It really started with Fields. He completed 21 of 32 passes for 244 yards with a TD pass. No, not amazing stats but given the fact he was benched last week, suggests quite a comeback from adversity.
He took the high road after this win when he could have easily ripped owner Woody Johnson for his public critique and answering it, not with words but deeds.
“The biggest thing was the win, not for me, but for my brothers in that locker room,” Fields said.
That’s wisdom. And composure.
Fields then showed great grace and appreciation to God for getting him through the difficult times.
“It’s been a lot for me emotionally, spiritually,” he said. “When I was on the field, I was damn near about to start crying, not because we won, but because of the goodness of God.
CINCINNATI, OHIO – OCTOBER 26: Justin Fields #7 and Azareye’h Thomas #23 of the New York Jets speak to the media after the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on October 26, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Fields: Crying, Praying For A Win
“Everything works for the greater good. Everything I’ve been through this past week, everything we’ve been through as a team the past seven weeks, there were a lot of ups and downs. I got a lot of support from my teammates, my brother, my family and my friends. Most of all, I’m just thankful to the Lord that he keeps blessing me.”
And then Fields announced he was about to get vulnerable.
“This week,” he said, “I found myself in my closet crying on the ground, lying down. Not because of the hardships, not because of the troubles. I felt like I was built to handle that … I was praying over and over… for just one win.”
Stunning. Admirable.
What a way to end a winless skid.
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