FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Here are 10 quick takes from the Falcons’ second joint practice with the Jets on Saturday:
1. No pads: The Falcons and Jets did not work in shoulder pads in the second practice. Coach Arthur Smith said that was in part to try to reduce injuries. No players were seen being treated for an injury.
2. Attendance: Wide receiver Drake London and defensive tackle Marlon Davidson did not participate.
3. Pitts’ dynamic route: The Falcons were down 14-6 with 45 seconds left from about the 35, tight end Kyle Pitts streaked past the Jets defense for an apparent touchdown. The route was spectacular, but quarterback Marcus Mariota overthrew him.
4. Up and down from QBs: Mariota came out hot in the seven-on-seven drills and completed six of seven passes. Later in day, he had a pass bounce of running back Damien Williams’ hands and into the waiting arms of Jets linebacker Hamsah Nasirildeen. Ridder missed a wide-open Anthony Firsker on a deep ball.
5. Rumble: There was only one near-fight, when Jets cornerback Justin Hardee tried to knock the ball off a Falcons running back after the red-zone run. Order was quickly restored. One onlooker who recently was at the Panthers-at-Patriots practice said the square-off was nothing compared with the “real fights” in New England.
6. Hardee bounced back: To end the red-zone period, Hardee knocked away a pass intended for Pitts, and the Jets’ defense went ballistic.
7. Running back work: The Falcons look like they are getting running backs Cordarrelle Patterson and Damien Williams ready for some action. Both ran hard in the red-zone period, and Williams punished two would-be tacklers who tried to knock the ball off of him before he reached the end zone.
8. Defense made some picks: Falcons safety Richie Grant said the defense got a few interceptions and received some good work against Jets quarterback Joe Flacco. “He can still spin it,” Grant said.
9. Jarrett breaks through: Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, who did some wind sprints in the middle of practice, had a big sack on the first play or red zone for the defense.
10. Second-team stop: In the 14-6 score scenario with 45 seconds left from about the 35, the Falcons first-team defense gave up a long pass to Corey Davis to the 1-yard line. The Jets scored on the next play and made the two-point conversion to force overtime. The Falcons’ second-team defense got a stop.
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