The Atlanta Falcons’ defense turned in the sharper side of Thursday’s work in Westfield, Ind., using the second day of joint practices with the Indianapolis Colts to make a clean case for itself. Allen Jr., an undrafted rookie out of Houston, was part of that push from the second- and third-team defensive line units and had a six-play stretch that kept showing up.
That mattered because Atlanta needed a better answer this week after last season’s meeting in Berlin, Germany, when the defense gave up 512 yards of total offense and watched Jonathan Taylor pile up 244 yards and three touchdowns. On Day 2, the Falcons were the side looking more disruptive, with Maason Smith stuffing the opening play of the first 11-on-11 period and Brandon Dorlus making a couple of plays in the backfield.
Chris Williams clogged running lanes on multiple snaps, while the secondary had its own moments. A.J. Terrell won one rep against LaQuon Treadwell in 1-on-1 drills before Treadwell answered with a corner move later, Darnay Holmes stood out in the cornerback work, and A.J. Woods delivered a picture-perfect rep. Mike Ford added a pick during the defensive back session, and Jessie Bates III took part in some of the on-field work as the group continued to build through the day.
Not everyone was out there. Neither Avieon Terrell nor Billy Bowman Jr. participated in the joint practices, even as Jawaan Taylor and Divine Deablo were back and active and the Falcons kept sorting through their defensive combinations. The work came after Wednesday’s focus on offense in Day 1, which gave Thursday’s defensive showing a sharper edge.
The cleanest reading from the day is that Atlanta’s defense used the practice setting to push back against a Colts group that has already hurt it badly once, but Allen Jr. remains the player to watch inside that rotation. If he keeps stacking snaps like this, the next question is not whether he can flash in camp, but whether he can force his way higher in the line mix before the teams meet again.
