Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones brought Carolina’s defense down to earth with a stellar performance Sunday in a 20-13 win over the Panthers at the Georgia Dome. The former Alabama standout bailed out quarterback Matt Ryan with nine receptions for 178 yards on 11 targets. Jones made his presence felt in the third quarter, when he caught a 70-yard touchdown pass from Ryan in double coverage.
If you missed @juliojones_11's AMAZING TD catch, WATCH it here: https://t.co/qny66tDFyr #CARvsATL 😮😮😮 pic.twitter.com/3UcNs7HmdM
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) December 27, 2015
Jones, 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, snatched the ball at its highest point from Panthers’ linebacker Luke Kuechly and maintained balance en route to a touchdown.
His efforts capped off a 5-play, 80-yard drive to give Atlanta a 14-10 lead.
Jones’ productive outing improves Atlanta to 8-7 on the season. A chance for a playoff spot remains hopeful, but the Falcons’ need help in Week 17 for an opportunity.
He stands at 127 catches for 1,722 yards and eight touchdowns.
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @ESPN_Future.
