Falcons close out preseason against Jacksonville at home
ATLANTA — Jacksonville coach Doug Marrone hasn’t missed the exciting trend for rookie wide receiver Dede Westbrook.
When he’s healthy, Westbrook makes big plays.
Westbrook returned from an injury with six catches for 115 yards and a touchdown, all in the first half, helping the Jacksonville Jaguars close the preseason with a 13-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night.
Westbrook strengthened his case for a roster spot by showing off his big-play potential against the Falcons (0-4). Westbrook beat Falcons cornerback Akeem King for a 43-yard touchdown catch on the final play of the first quarter and had another 43-yard catch in the second quarter.
“Every time he’s been out there, he’s made plays,” Marrone said of Westbrook. “He showed his speed tonight.”
Westbrook, a fourth-round draft pick from Oklahoma, entered the game leading the NFL with 173 yards receiving in the preseason despite missing last week’s game against Carolina with soreness.
He visited a core muscle specialist in Philadelphia on Monday.
“I just wanted to get a second opinion on how I felt, and the doctor told me I was fine,” Westbrook said, adding he can’t relax even if he has won a spot on the team.
“Even if I do solidify the spot on the roster, I still have to continue to get better,” he said.
Final roster evaluations were the emphasis as the teams held out a combined 66 starters and top backups.
Brandon Allen played the full game at quarterback for Jacksonville (2-2) and threw for 265 yards with the touchdown to Westbrook and three interceptions, including two in the end zone. Atlanta’s Bidi Wreh-Wilson intercepted a fade pass for Westbrook from the 4 in the first quarter. Sharrod Neas- man stopped another drive in the end zone when he intercepted a pass from Allen tipped by Chris Odom. Matt Simms, third on Atlanta’s depth chart, completed 11 of 15 passes for 195 yards.
Alek Torgersen replaced Simms midway through the fourth quarter. Jacksonville’s Jason Myers kicked field goals from 56 and 36 yards in the third quarter. The Falcons scored early in the fourth quarter when Jhurrell Pressley fumbled on a run from the Jaguars 1. Tight end Darion Griswold recovered the fumble in the end zone for a touchdown.