Highly touted rookie cornerbacks Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford made the most of their extended time in the exhibition finale Thursday night.
Both made interceptions and came up with plays against Jacksonville in the first half as the Falcons rested 19 of their 22 projected starters.
Alford intercepted a pass thrown by Jacksonville quarterback Chad Henne on the third play of the game, and Trufant had a nice pass breakup along the sideline and had an interception in the second quarter.
Trufant was drafted in the first round of the draft, 22nd overall. Alford, who struggled last week against Tennessee, was taken in the second round, 60th overall.
Smith was expecting Alford to grow from his experience against the Titans.
“Those things will pay dividends down the road for us as a football team,” Smith said. “I think that what he experienced will make him a better football player.”
Massaquoi comes on: Defensive end Jonathan Massaquoi made the start at right end for the Falcons, who rested defensive end Osi Umenyiora.
He came up with the play of the exhibition season in the second quarter. Massaquoi, a second-year player from Troy and Central Gwinnett High, forced a fumble by Jacksonville quarterback Matt Scott. He scooped it up and scored on a 9-yard fumble return.
Davis unimpressive: In his half of action, backup quarterback Dominique Davis was unimpressive. He completed 13 of 21 passes for 106 yards. He was sacked and had passer rating of 74.7.
After making the team as an undrafted rookie free agent last season from East Carolina, Davis was given an opportunity to win the No. 2 position.
He was the No. 3 quarterback last season. The team elected not to re-sign quarterback Luke McCown, who was the No. 2 last season and didn’t sign another veteran quarterback.
Sean Renfree, a seventh-round draft pick from Duke, came on in relief of Davis.
Banks watch: Exonerated linebacker Brian Banks did not play in the first half and was not on the field during Jacksonville's first two drives of the second half.
In the three previous games, he made two tackles in 21 defensive snaps and had not played on special teams.
Goodman starts: Defensive end Malliciah Goodman started at right defensive end in place of Kroy Biermann.
In the previous three games, Goodman, a rookie fourth-round pick, had played 73 snaps and had four tackles. He also played 17 snaps on special teams.
So far, not much: After reaching the NFC Championship game last season, the Falcons are being touted in several corners as a Super Bowl contender.
But they have done very little in the exhibition season to warrant such projection.
No team has gone 0-4 in the preseason and won the Super Bowl in a full 16-game season. The 1982 Washington Redskins won the championship in the strike-shortened season after going 0-4 in the preseason. They finished 8-1 in the regular season.
The 2000 New York Giants were 0-4 in exhibition games and reached the Super Bowl, but lost the Baltimore Ravens. Falcons coach Mike Smith was the linebackers coach on that staff.
The 1990 Buffalo Bills were 0-4 in exhibitions and reached the Super Bowl before losing to the New York Giants in the infamous “wide right” game.
The Falcons clearly have not emphasized exhibition games under Smith. They were 1-3 last season before going 13-3 and winning the NFC South title.
In 2011, they were 0-4 before going 10-6 and earning a wild-card berth.
Under Smith, the winningest coach in franchise history, the Falcons have posted five consecutive winning seasons and have gone to the playoffs four times.
Etc: Linebacker Robert James led the Falcons with five tackles in the first half. … Right tackle Lamar Holmes continued to struggle and was unimpressive. The Falcons will likely have to make a trade for a tackle or claim one off the waiver wire. … Kicker Matt Bryant (back) and linebacker Stephen Nicholas (quadriceps) were on the sidelines with the team. Wide receiver Roddy White (ankle) was not on the sidelines with the team.
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