CINCINNATI (Interstat) — In a stunning reversal of fortune, the New York Jets, mired in a dismal season, mounted a furious fourth-quarter comeback to stun the Cincinnati Bengals 39-38 on Sunday at Paycor Stadium.

The Jets, who entered the game with the worst record in the National Football League at 0-7, scored 23 points in the final period to erase a 14-point deficit and secure their first victory of the 2025 season before a crowd of 65,526.

The game was a tale of two halves, with the Bengals dominating early. Cincinnati quarterback Joe Flacco, the veteran from Audubon, New Jersey, engineered two first-quarter scoring drives. The first culminated in a 26-yard Evan McPherson field goal, and the second was capped by Flacco himself on a 1-yard quarterback sneak for a touchdown, giving the home team a 10-0 lead.

New York finally got on the board early in the second quarter with a 46-yard Nick Folk field goal, but the Bengals responded immediately. Flacco connected with receiver Tee Higgins on a deep 44-yard touchdown pass to extend the Cincinnati lead to 17-3.

The Jets showed signs of life with a methodical drive ending in a 15-yard Justin Fields touchdown pass to Tyler Johnson, cutting the deficit to 17-10. Just before halftime, however, the Bengals struck again. Flacco led a precise two-minute drill, finishing with a 19-yard touchdown pass to running back Chase Brown to take a 24-10 lead into the break. A Folk field goal as time expired in the half made the score 24-13.

The third quarter saw both teams trade scores. Folk hit his third field goal of the day, a 24-yarder, to bring the Jets within eight points. The Bengals answered with an explosive 32-yard touchdown run by Samaje Perine, pushing their lead back to 31-16.

Then came the deluge.

The Jets’ comeback began in earnest on the first play of the fourth quarter. Running back Breece Hall, who had a spectacular day, powered in for a 5-yard touchdown run. Fields then successfully converted a two-point attempt with a rush, slicing the Bengals’ lead to 31-24.

Cincinnati seemed to have an answer, marching down the field with ease. Brown punched in a 1-yard touchdown run, his second of the day, to restore a 14-point advantage at 38-24.

Undeterred, the Jets’ offense, led by the dynamic play of Fields and Hall, found another gear. Hall broke free for a 27-yard touchdown run on the ensuing drive. A failed two-point conversion attempt left the score at 38-30, but the momentum had irrevocably shifted.

After a critical defensive stop that included a sack by Will McDonald IV, the Jets got the ball back with a chance to tie. Fields methodically moved the offense down the field, and with just 1:54 remaining on the clock, he executed a trick play. Hall took a pitch and threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mason Taylor. Folk’s extra point gave the Jets their first lead of the game at 39-38.

The Bengals had one final chance, but their last-ditch drive stalled near midfield. Flacco’s final passes fell incomplete, and Fields took a knee to run out the clock, sealing a shocking and monumental victory for the previously winless Jets.

Statistically, the game was a showcase for the Jets’ offensive weapons. Fields, the quarterback from Kennesaw, Georgia, was efficient, completing 21 of 32 passes for 244 yards and a touchdown, while adding 31 yards on the ground. The star of the day was Hall, who terrorized the Bengals’ defense with 133 rushing yards and two touchdowns, in addition to his game-winning touchdown pass.

For the Bengals, Flacco finished 21 of 34 for 223 yards and two touchdowns. Brown, from London, Canada, was a dual threat, rushing for 73 yards and a touchdown while catching three passes for 32 yards and another score. Ja’Marr Chase was a frequent target, hauling in 12 receptions for 91 yards.

Defensively, the Bengals were led by linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr., who recorded 12 tackles. For the Jets, safety Malachi Moore had eight tackles.

The victory improves the Jets’ record to 1-7, while the Bengals fall to 3-5. The Jets were projected to lose by Interstat’s game simulator and its ELO system gave them less than a 10 percent chance to win. They were also installed as 6.5-point underdogs pregame. The combined score of 77 points sailed over the over/under line of 44.5.

The Jets will look to build on this victory when they host the Cleveland Browns on November 9. The Bengals will aim to regroup when they host the Chicago Bears next Sunday.