ATLANTA — Geno Smith put the New York Jets in position to win at the end of the game, leaving Atlanta to bemoan its missed opportunity at the end of the first half.

Smith threw for three touchdowns and completed four straight passes to set up Nick Folk’s game-winning field goal on the final play, giving the Jets a 30-28 victory over the stunned Falcons on Monday night.

The Jets (3-2) hoped it was a defining game for their team and rookie quarterback.

“This is a championship game,” New York linebacker Demario Davis said. “You have to fight to the end. That’s what champions do, back against the rope, any situation. You have to keep swinging. That’s what we were able to do.”

The Falcons (1-4) feared it could be another anchor thrown on a season that seems to be sinking fast.

Atlanta already has more losses than last season, when it was 13-3 and played in the NFC championship game. Now the Falcons are four games behind the Saints in the NFC South and enter their bye week simply trying to avoid panic.

The final margin left Falcons coach Mike Smith explaining his decision to go for the touchdown instead of a field goal when the Jets’ defense stopped Atlanta on two plays from the New York 1 to end the first half.

“We felt like we needed to score a touchdown in that situation,” Smith said. “We felt like we have an opportunity to do it, and we didn’t get it done. In hindsight, it is probably not the way we wanted it to work out, but that is the decision we made.”

Folk’s decisive 43-yard field goal capped an eight-play, 55-yard drive.

Here are five things to know from the Jets’ victory:

After the Falcons went ahead on the first play after the two-minute warning, Geno Smith calmly completed four straight passes and added an 8-yard run on the game-winning drive.

Smith was tied for the NFL lead with 11 turnovers, including eight interceptions, through four games. He delivered a near-perfect performance against the Falcons, completing 16 of 20 passes for 199 yards and three touchdowns with no turnovers.

Smith remained poised when sacked four times.

“It’s a mindset,” he said. “I made it my duty to come out here and not put the ball on the ground and not put my team in jeopardy.”