Jets Finally Get a Win at Home, 27-7 : New York: Victory over Atlanta comes after five straight losses at the Meadowlands.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. —  Playing at home hasn’t been the best scenario for the New York Jets this year.

But playing on the road has been worse for the Atlanta Falcons.

The Jets, with Johnny Hector scoring on two short runs and the defense playing its best game of the year, beat the Falcons, 27-7, Sunday at the Meadowlands.

It was New York’s first home win after five defeats, while Atlanta dropped to 0-7 on the road. Both teams are 3-9.

“It’s nice to get a win anywhere, against anybody, with the kind of year we’ve had,” Jet defensive end Ron Stallworth said.

Stallworth and assistant coach Ralph Hawkins, the coordinator of the 28th-ranked defense in the NFL, received game balls as the Jets held an opponent under 14 points for the first time this year.

“We had a lot of pressure, and this shows how we can play and hopefully it will carry over,” Stallworth said.

But the Falcons were still mourning the death of rookie tackle Ralph Norwood, who was killed in an auto accident Friday.

“They lost a teammate, and I don’t think they had their mind on the ballgame,” Hawkins said. “But our guys played well. Anytime you keep getting beat, you don’t care who you play or where, it gives you confidence to get someone and beat on them.”

The Falcons had little spark and were so outplayed they had the ball for only 19:54. It was a typical road game, quarterback Chris Miller said.

“We’re not executing, we have too many dropped passes, too many people missing assignments,” Miller said. “It seems on almost every play, someone makes a mistake. We’re playing from behind and you can’t win when they know what you want to do.”

On his 29th birthday, Hector scored his first two touchdowns of the season after averaging more than six a year in his career. He dove in from the one-yard line to make it 10-0 and swept right from the one for a 27-7 lead.

The Jets went ahead without benefit of a first down. They were forced to punt on their first two possessions without a first down and also held Atlanta without a first down on two series.

When Atlanta punter Scott Fulhage fumbled the snap, the Jets took over at the Falcon 18-yard line.

Again, they went nowhere in three plays, and Pat Leahy kicked a 28-yard field goal.

The Jets got going with a 65-yard, 12-play drive early in the second quarter. Roger Vick ran for 18 yards on the drive, and Hector had 20, including his one-yard touchdown run.

They did it again on their next possession with a 62-yard march capped by Al Toon’s diving catch for a 12-yard touchdown against rookie Deion Sanders. Toon finished with eight receptions for 86 yards, most of them against Sanders.

“I didn’t make a big deal out of facing him,” Toon said. “Fortunately or unfortunately for him, he is under a spotlight. But my focus was to go out and do what I can and not worry about who is out against me.”