Jets kicker Randy Bullock gets second chance and nails it

ARLINGTON, Texas — Randy Bullock has been a Jet only since Nov. 10, when he replaced the injured Nick Folk as the team’s kicker, but on Saturday night, he seared his name into the minds of nervous fans, for worse and eventually better.

First, Bullock missed an extra point after the Jets scored a touchdown to take a 6-3 lead late in the first quarter, pushing it wide right for the team’s first missed point-after try since 2007.

Then, in the final minute of the first half, he made a 40-yarder, had it erased on a penalty, then missed wide right again from 45 yards.

Uh, oh. But all’s well that ends well. Bullock got his chance for redemption and capitalized, making a 40-yarder with 36 seconds remaining to give the Jets a 19-16 victory over the Cowboys.

Bullock said he spent much of the second half hoping things would unfold as they did.

“It’s tough to watch,” he said. “At one point, it’s a [close] game and you’re thinking, ‘I hope I get an opportunity to make this right,’ for sure. That was kind of my mindset . . . It was nice to get out there and get in a groove and finish out the game.’’

Bullock, who grew up in Texas and played for Texas A&M, said it was his third late-game winner, joining one for the Texans against the Chargers in 2013 and the 31-yarder he made in overtime to beat the Giants on Dec. 6.

“That is part of being a specialist in the National Football League,” Bullock said. “You have to have a short memory and be ready for the opportunity when it does come. I was frustrated with how I started out, that missed PAT. I focused, got back into it and did my job at the end when it really counted.”

Bullock said there were some swirling winds in AT&T Stadium with the roof open for only the second time this season, but he said that as “disappointing” as the penalty that erased his first-half field goal was, that is no excuse.

“At the end of the day, I have to make that kick,” he said. “I am a little frustrated about that, but all you can do is flush it and get ready for your next opportunity.”

By Neil Best

neil.best@newsday.com@sportswatch

Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.