The football knuckled above the Falcons’ defensive line, cutting through the rain and wind as it reached its apex about 25 feet above the turf at MetLife Stadium. But as it started to fall back toward earth, it looked sure to keep hooking left of its intended target between the goalposts in the south end zone.

But just as the ball appeared to reach the point of no return, it meandered back to the right like a novice driver navigating a tight alley for the first time, before it dropped just inside the uprights.

The Jets 41-year-old kicker, Nick Folk, extended his arms triumphantly. A moment earlier he had been focused solely on making a solid strike for a kick on the edge of his range. Now green and white fireworks were shooting into a cloudy sky, as Folk celebrated the 56-yard field goal

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