"Falcons rookie wide receiver Julio Jones, who missed last week's game against Tennessee, appeared sharp in his limited return to practice on Thursday.

"It felt good to get back out there, running routes," Jones said. "I thought I was going to be rusty, but I wasn't."

Jones injured his left hamstring against Green Bay on Oct. 9, and missed games against Carolina and Detroit. He came back against Indianapolis on Nov. 6 and caught three passes for 131 yards and scored two touchdowns. However, he left the ensuing New Orleans game with an injured right hamstring, and didn't play last week against the Titans.

Falcons coach Mike Smith credited Jones' rehabilitation to the work of athletic performance department director Jeff Fish and trainer Marty Lauzon."