Jones continued his dominant start to the 2015 season, leading the Falcons in a comeback road win over the Giants, featuring one of his all-time greatest jaw-dropping catches.
There were several memorable performances from Julio Jones in 2015. Selecting only three games from that year for an all-time top-ten performances list was challenging. He started the season with three 100+ yard games and ended the season the same way he began in the final three games.
There was also another three-game stretch in the middle of the season, where he produced 100+ yards. Jones led the league in receiving yards, tied for first in receptions, and earned his first career first-team All-Pro spot.
After torching Byron Maxwell and the Eagles on primetime to start the season, Jones was back at it the following week against the Giants. It was an anticipated matchup with a rapidly ascending Odell Beckham Jr. on the other side. There was plenty of excitement about having two of the most electrifying wide receivers in the league at the time playing in the same game.
Both delivered as expected, combining for 20 receptions with 281 receiving yards and one touchdown. Each wide receiver had their highlight-reel moments with acrobatic catches and explosive plays after the catch. Jones ended up coming out on top in a 24-20 victory.
The win required a fourth-quarter comeback, where the Falcons scored two touchdowns and held the Giants scoreless. It was a major morale booster for them to start 2-0 following two hugely disappointing seasons. Led by their superstar wide receiver and franchise quarterback with a new coaching staff, they were getting back to winning games.
Early Changes
One of the initial drastic differences between Kyle Shanahan and Dirk Koetter as offensive coordinator came from a major increase in quick pass plays designed for Jones. In Koetter’s offense, he would run more vertically on the outside followed by either a comeback, dig, or go route. With Shanahan, it was a priority to get him the ball instantly on slants, quick outs, and bubble screens.
Putting Jones in a position to catch quick passes and pick up easy chunk gains was something that rarely happened in his first four seasons. That significantly changed the following year, as he was the driving force behind the offense’s success in 2015. That led to improvements in key areas, such as third-down conversions, where the Falcons converted 11 of 17 against the Giants. Jones only averaged 10.4 yards per catch in this game, but he made multiple catches on third down to keep the chains moving.
Reeling in 13 receptions on 15 targets underscored how frequently and effectively Matt Ryan was throwing Jones the ball in mostly high-percentage scenarios. The Falcons wanted to exploit the space underneath while getting into an offensive rhythm.
Unfortunately due to the team’s inability to run the ball, they struggled to find a consistent flow. Ryan was unable to push the ball downfield in scenarios where it was to be expected for him to be more aggressive. That changed in the second half.
Superman
Starting at the two-yard line faced with a three-point deficit with eight minutes to go, the Falcons had to get going offensively. A deep shot off play action in your end zone isn’t exactly an ideal way to start a drive in those circumstances.
While Ryan received strong protection, it’s still dangerous for a pressing quarterback struggling to connect with his receivers downfield to be put in a position to throw the ball 15 to 20 yards with the possibility of holding onto the ball for too long causing a safety or taking a massive risk throwing the ball into traffic for a possible interception.
Ryan did exactly the latter where a retreating Brandon Meriweather was in prime position to capitalize on a poor decision. Jones had other ideas, turning a certain interception into a preposterous 18-yard reception. The way he was able to turn his body to rise above Meriweather to make a clean play on the ball is one thing. The way Julio corrals the ball in mid-air with his right hand and maintains possession crashing to the ground to complete the reception, while his body is swerving, made it such a remarkable catch.
This was the first NFL game I ever covered as a credentialed media member. As a 22-year-old who wanted to maintain full professionalism, I stayed silent trying to comprehend how Jones made that grab. The late great Vaughn McClure said it best to me in the press box: “Julio is not human. Enjoy every bit of seeing him in person, brother.”
Jones was far from done. After taking a big hit from Landon Collins on a 17-yard reception down the seam, he would make one more stellar play to complete the comeback win. The superhuman wide receiver blazed past Prince Amukamara on a go route to give Ryan the look he needed to take a shot downfield.
There was no questioning the throw, as he hit Jones in stride for a 37-yard completion. Jones’ impressive release left Amukamara struggling behind, forcing him to do just enough to keep him out of the end zone.
Devonta Freeman finished what proved to be the game-winning drive with a two-yard touchdown run. Jones ended up having seven games with more than the 135 receiving yards he produced against the Giants.
While he was more productive in other matchups, the significance of this game with two highlight-reel catches made it stand out in a season filled with memorable performances for Jones. Comeback road wins must always be greatly valued. Jones helped deliver one to build toward what became a 5-0 start for the Falcons.
The Legend of Julio Jones: Greatest Games List
Another memorable Monday night