Jets 24, Falcons 16: TE Kyle Pitts Shines In Atlanta's Preseason Loss

All it took was one play for second-year tight end Kyle Pitts to reassure himself as the Atlanta Falcons' top offensive weapon Monday night against the Jets.

When the Atlanta Falcons and New York Jets held a pair of joint practices over the weekend, tight end Kyle Pitts was a hot topic. And Monday night at MetLife Stadium, Pitts lived up to the hype during his first preseason action in 2022.

While the Falcons stood at second-and-six early in the first quarter, Pitts completed a 52-yard reception from quarterback Marcus Mariota. Pitts' lone contribution helped the Falcons finish their first drive of the night with 72-yards on seven plays.

"It makes it easy when you have a guy like Kyle," Marcus Mariota said during an interview with ESPN. "We felt good about the play. And we felt good about the look. Hats off to Kyle for making a great play."

Atlanta's drive ended with a 23-yard field goal. But it wasn't enough to prevent the Falcons from sustaining a 24-16 preseason defeat to the Jets. 

Pitts appeared in one drive during his preseason opener, and it was enough to reassure why the second-year prospect has been held as the Falcons' top offensive weapon heading into the 2022 campaign. 

The Falcons' quarterback play was substantial 

Mariota received more playing time against the Jets, and the veteran quarterback put on a clinic. Mariota appeared in the Falcons' first three drives of the night, where he went 6-for-10 for 132 yards and one touchdown. 

Mariota's passes from the pocket were crisp while he made quick reads to get the ball off promptly. 

The same could be said for rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder, whose ball placement may have been more accurate than his mentor. Ridder's performance may have been a bit more impressive than that of Mariota, given that the rookie quarterback played the latter of his snaps competing in the rain. 

Jared Bernhardt continues to impress 

Undrafted free agent Jared Bernhardt continued to showcase why he merits a spot on the Falcons' 53-man roster. 

Bernhardt has made plays and caught the eye of Atlanta's coaching staff throughout training camp, and his second preseason outing was no different. 

Bernhardt finished the game with a team-best 67 yards on three catches, all coming within the first half. The highlight of Bernhardt's night took place late in the second quarter when Ridder connected with the rookie receiver for a 20-yard completion.  

Following his play against the Jets, Bernhardt has now recorded 91 yards on four catches during the Falcons' 2-0 preseason start. 

Falcons' blown lead isn't much of a concern 

The Falcons once held a 16-0 lead over the Jets but could not sustain their high level of production during the second half of the game. New York outscored Atlanta 21-0 during the second half, but the Falcons' collapse should not be too concerning. 

Atlanta's second-half slump began when third-string players took to the field on both sides of the ball, highlighted by hybrid quarterback Feleipe Franks.