Colts Cb Justin Walley Returns Favor With Pick-six In Joint-practice Against Falcons

WESTFIELD, Ind. — Indianapolis Colts cornerback Justin Walley found himself on both ends of highlight-reel plays during Wednesday’s joint-practice with the Atlanta Falcons, but it was the second-year nickel who got the last laugh in the final team session.

Earlier on the opposite practice field, it was receiver Drake London who made a sensational snag over Walley while backpedaling before he took off for the end zone. The Falcons’ 6-foot-4 receiver raised his arms to veritably ‘Moss’ the 5-foot-10 Walley on the far sideline, reaching high enough to haul in the catch.

Both teams had an opportunity in the final 11-on-11 session to move the ball the length of the field. On the second play of the Falcons’ offensive series, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa held the ball a beat too long before throwing a late pass intended for London on a shallow route. Walley read it perfectly to jump in front of the pass, then briefly juggled the interception before he secured it and raced down the far sideline for a pick-six. The Colts defense erupted as they chased him toward the end zone to embrace the signature moment of the two-hour practice. 

Walley continues to show just how impactful he can be as a starter. He missed his entire rookie season after suffering a torn ACL during a joint-practice against the Baltimore Ravens last August. Fittingly enough, Walley is on track to make his NFL debut against that same team. The 23-year-old has already spent the bulk of training camp challenging himself by staying attached to the hip of slot receiver Josh Downs, then took another step Wednesday as the starting outside cornerback.

The joint-practice at Droplight Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, Ind. was the lone football practice that featured two of the NFL’s top five running backs. The Falcons began their first-team work with a heavy dose of Bijan Robinson, who ripped off consecutive explosive runs before adding chunk gains as a pass catcher out of the backfield.

Robinson showcased his elite combination of acceleration, agility, and vision as one of the league’s most dangerous weapons. When the first-team All-Pro tailback was able to reach the second level, the stampede in blue struggled to corral him. Colts rookie strong safety A.J. Haulcy figured it out quickly though and raced to meet Robinson in the backfield for a tackle for loss.

Defensive linemen Arden Key and Grover Stewart later combined to make a defensive stop on a toss play for Robinson. Third-year edge rusher Laiatu Latu threatened to ruin Atlanta’s game plan without ever getting an opportunity to touch Tagovailoa. Latu’s burst was especially noticeable as he seemed to get into the backfield untouched on multiple plays, including one sequence in which Key also came screaming off the opposite edge for what would have been a violent combined sack.

Tagovailoa finished 8-of-13 passing against Indy’s first-team defense, with the lone explosive play through the air to London over Walley. London followed with a slick one-handed grab on a drag route during 7-on-7s that caught more awes from the crowd.

Despite focusing on the defense, quarterback Daniel Jones had an immaculate performance without most of his weapons. Jones completed all 15 of his passes in team drills, distributing the ball while avoiding any unforced turnovers. Perhaps it was his final throw that may have been his best as Jones found Downs on a 30-yard crosser over the middle, delivering the ball just before a massive hit was waiting for his slot receiver. 

The Colts host one final joint-practice with the Falcons at Grand Park on Thursday, starting at 3 p.m.