The Jets practiced in shells Friday on the hottest day yet of training camp as the offense matched the temperature with an impressive performance and found the end zone multiple times.
"I think as a whole unit, we just feel different," said TE Tyler Conklin, who had 2 touchdowns. "Obviously you got Garrett [Wilson], Breece [Hall] in their third year. … I think how they just keep improving, it makes life easier. Then obviously having No. 8 [Aaron Rodgers] out there, we all know that makes life easy, but I think it's a combination of all those things."
Conklin first scored on a jump ball near the pylon on a high, pinpoint pass from Rodgers with Jarrick Bernard-Converse in coverage. Rodgers later found the veteran tight end on a free play following the QB's patented hard count -- DT Jalyn Holmes was the culprit.
"The first one was kind of a win-route," Conklin said of the first touchdown. "When I saw the way they lined up and had man [coverage], I figured Aaron was going to give it a peek over there and it was good defense. He just threw a really good ball."
He added of the second score: "We were in a bunch and we switch released it. I almost stopped running because he was looking left the whole time and all of a sudden, I just saw him throw my way. I was like, 'Oh, shoot.' "
Even though Conklin and Rodgers connected, it was Rodgers and Wilson who put an exclamation point on Friday's practice. Wilson broke free on a busted coverage in the situational move-the-ball period for a 31-yard touchdown pass with just over 20 seconds left down by 30-23. The offense started on its own 45-yard line with 54 seconds on the clock.
"Offensively, it was a really cool concept and a lack of communication on the defensive side," head coach Robert Saleh said. "It's one thing that I can attest to -- we take pride, defensively in that we rarely give up touchdowns where someone is free like that, a busted-coverage touchdown. For that to happen, it's good that it happened here because we have a chance to go correct it."
RT Morgan Moses Takes Team Reps
Morgan Moses practiced in team periods for the first time in camp as he was recovering from torn pectoral muscle he sustained last season with Baltimore.
"I'm never one to sit on the side and work through things, but it's all about timing," said Moses, who will be on a pitch count moving forward. "Being able to go out there today and run around with the guys and feel like you're 10 years old again, that was the best part. It was fantastic."
HC Robert Saleh is encouraged by the potential of the line that has now had all its starters take team reps together with Moses' return.
"It has a chance to be a really good group," Saleh said. "Even the second half of last season, that group, the amount of reps and playing time they all got, how much better they got over the course of the year.
"All the experience that they got, we feel really good not only about the front five, but the next six, seven or eight guys."
Jetcetera
Cornerbacks Sauce Gardner (excused absence) and Michael Carter II (ankle) did not practice in addition to OL Jake Hanson (leg), WR-KR Xavier Gipson (leg), DL Takk McKinley (foot) and WR Malik Taylor (undisclosed). HC Robert Saleh said of McKinley: "Hopefully we should get him back early next week."
Before Aaron Rodgers' fireworks to finish practice, he threw an excellent back-shoulder toss to Allen Lazard that the receiver corralled despite tight coverage from D.J. Reed. On the first play of team drills, DL Micheal Clemons did a nice job of setting that edge and that allowed Brandin Echols to stop Breece Hall for a short gain. Later in the same drill, Rodgers and Hall couldn't convert on a pitch, but TE Kenny Yeboah recovered for the offense. … Safety Ashtyn Davis had a would-be sack of Tyrod Taylor early in team and a forced fumble later after a Tyler Conklin sideline grab. Taylor, though, responded with a TD to Jason Brownlee. And during a late-game situation, he found Brownlee for a long gain that moved the offense inside the red zone. Saleh allowed the offense to continue although Brownlee appeared to be stripped of the ball after making a diving reception.
Rodgers' first pass was a completion to Garrett Wilson and the two connected shortly thereafter for a red-zone score. They've had 5 TDs over the past two practices …. LB Quincy Williams had a nice sideline stop of Hall after a short reception from Rodgers. ... Rookie Braelon Allen had a couple of impressive cut-back scampers.
