It’s only right that the greatest season in Atlanta Falcons history featured the greatest single-game performance in Jones’ career.
There were many times during Julio Jones’ career when you watched him early on in a game and said, “Oh, this is looking like a Julio game.” He was going to produce over 100 receiving yards. There would be multiple 25+ yard receptions, whether it’s off a go route exploding past a cornerback or breaking tackles across the field.
The camera will show the opposing defensive backs and coaching staff looking dejected at some point after another first-down reception. They will realize that all the preparation that went into containing the electrifying wide receiver wasn’t enough.
Jones made several opponents look hopeless in his biggest games. No team experienced that wretched feeling more than the Carolina Panthers in Week 4 of the 2016 season. Coming off a terrific yet slightly bizarre 45-32 win over the Saints, the Falcons had plenty to prove against another division rival.
What made the win in New Orleans odd was that Jones caught one pass for 16 yards on seven targets. For the Falcons to beat their biggest rivals on primetime in a shootout without much production from the 2016 first-team All-Pro wide receiver showed their offensive capabilities. It also meant Jones would play with even more urgency against the reigning NFC champions.
Considering what Jones did the last time he faced the Panthers in 2015, something historic would have to happen for him to top that extraordinary performance. The best players are always capable of making history. With Matt Ryan starting to get comfortable in Kyle Shanahan’s offense and major personnel upgrades made across the offense, Jones was bound to have a phenomenal game that nobody would ever forget.
Feed the Beast Early and Often
On the first three plays of Atlanta’s opening drive, Jones caught three passes for 51 yards. Jones’ agility and relentlessness gave Carolina fits on comebacks and short routes. Even when he fell to the turf from a collision, Ryan was able to maneuver around the pocket to find him for a 14-yard gain. Those first three plays set the tone that Jones was going to be targeted all game long against a Carolina defense known for shutting down opposing running games.
As much as Bene Benwikere is remembered for being torched by Jones, Daryl Worley felt how overmatched a corner can be when going against the future Hall of Famer. Ryan hit Jones in stride on a 43-yard pass, where Worley didn’t make any contact while in press coverage.
That’s how devastating Jones’ release was at the line of scrimmage. He blew past the young cornerback with ease, as Worley was hoping for safety help. Ron Rivera likely had the same feeling after seeing how easily Jones got behind his defense. Adjustments were bound to be made, right?
On the next drive, Jones caught another deep ball from Ryan for a 53-yard gain on third and 17. It was another third-and-long where Carolina was out of sorts with their deep zone coverage. The last time that happened, Jones leaped over Luke Kuechly on an iconic touchdown catch. He caught this one between Benwikere and Kurt Coleman. Despite Thomas Davis shadowing Jones to give Benwikere support off the line of scrimmage, it didn’t stop Ryan from finding his primary receiver open downfield for another highlight-reel play.
Everything was clicking between them. Even when Kuechly should have picked off an errant pass, the ball ended up in Jones’ hands for an 18-yard gain. Outside of a five-yard catch to help give the offense space from starting at the one-yard line, every Jones reception went for 14+ yards in the first half. The constant first downs, broken tackles in the open field, and multiple 40+ yard catches left everyone in awe of his performance in the first half. There was more to come in the second half.
Making History in Style
One of the biggest differences between the 2015 and 2016 Falcons was the improvement in the offense’s skill position group. Taylor Gabriel, Aldrick Robinson, and Austin Hooper made huge plays in the second half. It was one of Mohamed Sanu’s quieter games that season, but his impact was felt often. The array of playmakers relieved some pressure off Jones, knowing the offense was still productive without him needing 16 targets a game.
After a few catches off hitches and slant routes, the superstar wide receiver would make his mark on third and ten in the middle of the third quarter. Jones always had a knack for making explosive plays when the offense needed it most.
His smooth release shook Benwikere at the line of scrimmage before driving inside at the top of the route to create more separation for a 32-yard gain. It couldn’t have been more of a mismatch when Benwikere had to cover him.
The individual matchup concluded in the most definitive way possible. Carolina cut Atlanta’s lead down to 34-26 with less than four minutes to go. It was time for the offense to finish the game with authority, led by the man with 225 receiving yards at the time. Ryan would look for Jones on an in-breaking route off play action.
The completion couldn’t have been easier with Jones accelerating past Benwikere off another nasty release. After creating acres of space, he gave Benwikere a strong stiff arm for what should have been a 17-yard gain.
Jones wasn’t going to be stopped after 17 yards. Benwikere wouldn’t make contact with Jones again after failing to bring him down. No other Carolina defender ended up touching Jones on the way to a 75-yard touchdown. Sanu did a fantastic job of shielding Worley away from pushing the seven-time Pro Bowler out of bounds. He also took Michael Griffin out of the play in the process. It allowed Jones to turn a 45-yard gain into one of the greatest moments in his illustrious career.
Carolina’s decision to blitz was costly, leaving their overmatched cornerback on Jones. It was evident he couldn’t cover him all game long. Even though Benwikere had inside alignment, he got immediately shaken out of position from Jones’ blistering release.
With no help in the middle of the field due to blitzing, Carolina couldn’t prevent Jones from getting loose in the open field. Once he started picking up speed, anything was possible with his explosiveness and power. Carolina learned the hard way for a second consecutive game against one of the NFL’s most dominant players.
Road Runnin’ to Glory
Combining his Week 16 performance in the 2015 season with this one in 2016, Jones had 21 receptions for 478 yards and two touchdowns off 26 targets against the Panthers. His efficiency makes what he did even more remarkable. Highlight-reel plays were produced. Opportunities weren’t wasted. History was created. Most importantly, a winning culture was being established.
That’s what mattered most to Jones as he and Ryan, who became the league MVP, led the Falcons back to the playoffs for the first time since 2012. They became the most prolific offense in the league. They were well-equipped to score 30+ points against any defense. That put them in a position to do something special in the final season inside the Georgia Dome. Jones was going to make sure of that.
The Legend of Julio Jones: Greatest Games List
Another memorable Monday night