After putting on a show against Green Bay on Monday Night Football in 2014, Jones returned with another spectacular primetime performance in the 2015 season opener against Philadelphia.
The Eagles were arguably the most fascinating opponent for Julio Jones. There wasn’t a NFC team he was more productive against than them per game. He averaged 117.2 receiving yards per game with five touchdowns against them in six matchups. Those are outstanding numbers, especially considering how good the Eagles were during long stretches in the 2010s. As well as Jones played against them, he suffered some agonizing defeats in those matchups.
The Falcons fell short in the 2018 divisional round, which has proven to be their last playoff appearance. They also lost to them on the opening night of the 2018 season in a similar late-game fashion, where they couldn’t score in the red zone to win the game on the final drive. Despite his outstanding performances, it didn’t result in what would have been massive wins against the best team in the league at that time.
Before those disappointments, the Falcons earned a close win over the Eagles in the 2015 season opener. Starting the Dan Quinn era with a win was pivotal for the franchise following two disastrous seasons. Jones was expected to be at the forefront of their success after a sensational 2014 season.
With Kyle Shanahan taking over as offensive coordinator, there was plenty of excitement for what Jones could do with a dynamic play-caller who looks to push boundaries and break ceilings. After his remarkable performance in Atlanta’s previous Monday night game against Green Bay, it was time for Jones to produce another jaw-dropper against a Philadelphia team receiving an enormous amount of hype.
Get Around
In the simple words of 2Pac’s legendary song “I Get Around”, Jones got around in this one. He was unleashed across different formations and stack alignments. After one season in Mike Mularkey’s run-heavy setup and three years in Dirk Koetter’s unimaginative offense, Jones was finally in an inventive offense where the play-caller would put him in favorable positions to flourish. Shanahan prioritized getting the ball to him early and often.
Jones caught eight passes on ten targets for 97 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. A mixture of inside slants, quick outs, and screens helped create those high-percentage looks.
What stood out was how much play-action was called. Shanahan got Matt Ryan moving much more frequently, which took time for everyone to get used to, particularly a struggling Ryan. While 2015 was a tough year on balance, he still managed to get the ball to Jones quickly and effectively.
On his first receiving touchdown, Jones scored on an impressive effort off a jailbreak screen. It was another refreshing play call, although a young Jake Matthews didn’t get out quickly enough to fulfill his blocking assignment. Jones changed direction smoothly to evade Walter Thurmond III and stretched into the end zone while being brought down by DeMeco Ryans.
The new-look offense was operating at a rapid pace, repeatedly catching the Eagles’ defense off guard. When they slowed things down, it allowed Jones to face another big-name cornerback, who had a chip on his shoulder to get the better of the superstar wide receiver. That went as well as you’d expect it for Philadelphia’s big free-agent signing.
Hello Byron Maxwell
Of all the cornerbacks Jones put on a highlight reel throughout his career, Maxwell has to be one of the most infamous players to be on the receiving end. He entered the new season with a big reputation after developing into a starter in Seattle’s Legion of Boom.
Going from starting in Seattle’s traditional Cover 3 scheme to being a number-one corner in a man-heavy defense in Philadelphia was bound to be a major transition. Starting his new role by covering Jones proved to be an absolute nightmare.
After being penalized for defensive pass interference against Jones on the second drive, Maxwell tried to be more composed playing bump-and-run coverage. That ended badly as Jones got behind him vertically for his second touchdown. The 2015 first-team All-Pro wide receiver was too strong for him when Maxwell decided to get physical. Strength wasn’t the only thing Jones used to beat him on the outside.
He glided past Maxwell on a 44-yard reception with a devastating release and blistering speed. After baiting him outside with his swift footwork and head fake, Jones left Maxwell trailing for another explosive play. Putting eight defenders in the box knowing your cornerback will be isolated against one of the most dominant players in the league is always dangerous. The Eagles paid the price for their aggressiveness.
They quickly realized Maxwell wasn’t the cornerback they envisioned him to be. Trading him to Miami after one season indicated how wrong they were in their evaluation. Meanwhile, Jones had the best statistical season of his career.
There will be two other games from the 2015 season in this legacy series, including one against another NFC East team. This performance against Philadelphia set the tone for what ended up being an extraordinary year for the future Hall of Famer. Many cornerbacks were left looking like this after attempting to cover Jones.
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