Smith enacts no-fighting policy at joint practices
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FLOWERY BRANCH — When the Falcons take the field to practice against the Jets today, the team is set to enforce a zero-tolerance no-fighting policy.
“I’m only concerned with our team,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said Thursday after practice. “When you’re competing against another team, you can’t fight in the game. It’s not tolerated.
Somebody gets heated, does it, there’s got to be consequences.”
Five players were kicked out of the joint practices between the Patriots and Panthers on Wednesday. The Falcons are set to practice against the Jets today and Saturday before playing in an exhibition game at 8 p.m.
Monday at MetLife Stadium.
“So I don’t know how to enforce it other than that; do you have somebody who’s got a problem?” Smith said. “An emotional-control problem, that’s probably somebody who you don’t want on the field in real games, either, because they’ll be a liability.
You get off the field on third down, and they get a personal foul. It usually goes hand in hand.”
Smith is looking forward to facing the Jets, who were 4-13 last season and are in their second season under coach Robert Saleh. Smith didn’t want to reveal his lineup plan for the game. The Falcons will close the exhibition season against Jacksonville at 3 p.m. Aug. 27 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
HBCU tandem: Wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge and outside linebacker Quinton Bell played at Prairie View A&M, one of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
Hodge is working with the first-team offense and Bell with the second-team defense.
“I think they’ve done well,” Smith said. “Good players. Different experiences to get to this point. I’m really pleased with both of them.”
Davidson surgery: The Falcons were hoping that defensive ends Marlon Davidson or Taquon Graham would step forward opposite of Grady Jarrett and help provide an interior push to their pass rush.
Graham now has the inside track as Davidson had his knee scoped on Thursday, according to his representatives.
Davidson, who was a second-round pick (47th overall) in 2020, did not practice on Thursday and has been out for about a week. He’s expected to miss the rest of the exhibition season.
Davidson had left knee surgery after his 2020 rookie season.
Last season, he played 11 games including a start, but an ankle injury kept Davidson out of two games.
Attendance: Davidson and wide receiver Drake London (knee) were the only players not at practice Thursday.
Smith would not say if London is traveling with the team to New York.
“I’m only concerned with our team,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said Thursday after practice. “When you’re competing against another team, you can’t fight in the game. It’s not tolerated.
Somebody gets heated, does it, there’s got to be consequences.”
Five players were kicked out of the joint practices between the Patriots and Panthers on Wednesday. The Falcons are set to practice against the Jets today and Saturday before playing in an exhibition game at 8 p.m.
Monday at MetLife Stadium.
“So I don’t know how to enforce it other than that; do you have somebody who’s got a problem?” Smith said. “An emotional-control problem, that’s probably somebody who you don’t want on the field in real games, either, because they’ll be a liability.
You get off the field on third down, and they get a personal foul. It usually goes hand in hand.”
Smith is looking forward to facing the Jets, who were 4-13 last season and are in their second season under coach Robert Saleh. Smith didn’t want to reveal his lineup plan for the game. The Falcons will close the exhibition season against Jacksonville at 3 p.m. Aug. 27 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
HBCU tandem: Wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge and outside linebacker Quinton Bell played at Prairie View A&M, one of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
Hodge is working with the first-team offense and Bell with the second-team defense.
“I think they’ve done well,” Smith said. “Good players. Different experiences to get to this point. I’m really pleased with both of them.”
Davidson surgery: The Falcons were hoping that defensive ends Marlon Davidson or Taquon Graham would step forward opposite of Grady Jarrett and help provide an interior push to their pass rush.
Graham now has the inside track as Davidson had his knee scoped on Thursday, according to his representatives.
Davidson, who was a second-round pick (47th overall) in 2020, did not practice on Thursday and has been out for about a week. He’s expected to miss the rest of the exhibition season.
Davidson had left knee surgery after his 2020 rookie season.
Last season, he played 11 games including a start, but an ankle injury kept Davidson out of two games.
Attendance: Davidson and wide receiver Drake London (knee) were the only players not at practice Thursday.
Smith would not say if London is traveling with the team to New York.