Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images
In the final game inside the Georgia Dome, an all-time franchise great produced one of his greatest performances in arguably the greatest win in Falcons’ history.
The Julio Jones legacy series had to end here. It had to conclude on a stage that couldn’t have been more momentous for the Falcons. They were hosting the
NFC Championship for the first time in four years. They were firing on all cylinders offensively, becoming one of the most terrifying units in the last decade. With Matt Ryan being the NFL MVP and Jones flourishing in the prime of his career, everything was aligning nicely for Dan Quinn’s squad, facing a wounded but super dangerous
Packers team.
What made this matchup even more memorable was that it was the final game inside the Georgia Dome. It was a beloved stadium that deserved a special farewell for all the big games and events that took place there. Coming off a definitive win over the
Seahawks in the divisional round, it was time for the Falcons to turn an extraordinary season into the greatest year in franchise history.
Jones was bound to have more big-play opportunities after squaring off with Richard Sherman
in the previous matchup. Facing a Packers defense filled with question marks raised increased anticipation for what the 2016 first-team All-Pro can do against them.
Fans were aware of the last time Jones played in an NFC Championship game,
where he put on one of the most incredible performances of his career against the
49ers’ vaunted defense. He would need to make his mark again in a potential shootout against a red-hot Packers offense led by Aaron Rodgers.
It’s All There
Unlike in his first NFC Championship game, Jones didn’t let loose on the first two drives. Two short catches helped the offense get into a rhythm. That helped the Falcons take a 10-0 lead into the second quarter. That’s where a one-sided matchup for the ages took place between Jones and LaDarius Gunter. The notion of relying on a second-year undrafted free agent to cover one of the most dominant players in the league is frightening. Having him shadow Jones at times during the game was ludicrous.
A 17-yard gain off a skinny post set the tone for what was a colossal mismatch. On the next play, Jones ran his signature blaze-out route on Gunter, where he fakes running a post and changes direction into a deep out. Gunter was left in a different area code as he was completely out of the camera view when the pass was completed. Jones made him fall for the fake so hard that safety Morgan Burnett had to run over to push him out of bounds for a 20-yard reception.
Jones was in takeover mode on the third drive, as he caught his third pass for 19 yards on third and ten. A clever play design by Kyle Shanahan had Mohamed Sanu and Taylor Gabriel running vertical routes inside, allowing Jones from the outside to have the space underneath on a crossing route to accelerate past the first down marker. That drive ended in Ryan scoring on a rushing touchdown, which became one of numerous memorable plays from this unbelievable game.
Being up 17-0 still had fans on edge after the Falcons lost a 17-point lead against the 49ers in their most recent conference championship matchup. To go up 24-0 would bring another level of confidence about the team’s
Super Bowl aspirations. With seven seconds remaining in the first half, facing a third and one, Ryan had to be decisive.
He had no timeouts left to work with. The play had to result in a touchdown or an incompletion. With several Green Bay defenders crowding the line of scrimmage, with each defensive back playing press coverage, it meant Jones was isolated on the outside against Gunter.
Ryan wasted no time throwing to his favorite wide receiver. Opposing defenses normally set safety help or use some form of double coverage to prevent Jones from being targeted in the red zone. Green Bay opted to blitz and leave their defensive backs in isolated matchups. For Jones to have a clean one-on-one matchup in the red zone was rare.
They capitalized on the moment as Ryan connected with him on a pinpoint back-shoulder throw. Some of Jones’ best attributes that don’t receive enough recognition are his body control, footwork, and concentration when needing to get two feet inbounds. It was all there on display to give the Falcons a commanding 24-point lead. The party was being set, but it required a few finishing touches.
Leave No Doubt
After Aaron Rodgers’ heroics against the Cowboys in the divisional round, many believed the Packers couldn’t be counted out going into the second half. That belief lasted for five plays. After the Falcons’ defense continued their stellar performance, forcing three straight incompletions, the offense knew the opportunity was there to put the game out of reach.
Jones lined up in the slot on second and eight, where Gunter followed him. As soon as the ball was snapped, Gunter was holding onto the superstar wide receiver after being instantly driven out of position by an exceptional release.
A blatant holding penalty wasn’t going to stop Jones from creating separation across the field. Ryan hit him in stride, where he was going full speed. Many defensive backs struggled to bring down Jones in the open field when he hit top gear. Gunter experienced that the hard way, failing to bring him down after being immediately beaten at the line of scrimmage.
Despite being slowed down by the tackle attempt, the future Hall of Famer was in full takeover mode. A vicious stiff arm on Damarious Randall set the stage for what can be claimed as
the most iconic touchdown in franchise history.
A 73-yard touchdown from one of the team’s greatest players in the NFC Championship, where he broke two tackles in superhuman fashion to race down the sidelines to make it a 31-point lead, would forever be cherished. The crowd was in total euphoria. Everyone knew the Falcons were going to the Super Bowl. The Georgia Dome was getting a perfect send-off.
Jones produced one more jaw-dropping play after the Packers scored their first touchdown. With the offense finding plenty of success using play action, Ryan was looking for Jones deep across the middle of the field. Mike Daniels beat Ryan Schraeder inside to force Ryan into a high, looping pass. The pressure didn’t allow Ryan to step up in the pocket to put velocity on the throw toward the deep middle area of the field.
What initially looked like a dangerous pass turned into
another highlight-reel reception for Jones. He rose to high point the ball as Gunter closed in to take his legs out in mid-air. With linebacker Jake Ryan attempting to track back in coverage, he turned the play into a mini car crash with how he collided into Jones’ knee, as Gunter was flipping the seven-time Pro Bowler over to attempt to force an incompletion.
As Ryan and Gunter were on the ground wondering what happened, Jones got up to let everyone know how he felt after making a sensational 23-yard catch. The Falcons were producing explosive plays off play action every week in 2016. They usually executed them more smoothly, but when you have a phenomenal wide receiver who can do it all, the slight breakdowns up front won’t immediately stop the big plays from materializing. Ryan threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Devonta Freeman to put the finishing touches on what can be considered the greatest win in franchise history.
Ring of Honor Excellence, Gold Jacket Standard
In the final part of this series honoring Jones, it’s a good time to reflect while being excited about the accolades he will receive in the future. Jones will be inducted into the Falcons Ring of Honor. There were chills felt when Ryan said,
“he will be the next one standing up here,” during his own deserved Ring of Honor speech. The legendary quarterback always praises Jones whenever possible. They had a strong bond that translated into producing several terrific seasons.
Jones let his play do the talking. His incredible work ethic pushed all his teammates to improve. He led by example to help young wide receivers expand their skill set. He was a consummate professional who represented the franchise proudly. Everything he did commanded respect. Every opposing team had to put together a game plan to contain him. That’s the mark of an all-time great who will eventually be in the Hall of Fame.
Honoring extraordinary players for the joy they give to everyone who loves sports is important. Gratitude is something that can be forgotten at times. We can lose sight of the impact certain players left, given how sports rapidly change. That’s where you have to remember that greatness must always be admired. The top players work relentlessly to be at the top of their games. For players like Jones and Ryan to perform at the highest level for several years is astonishing.
No matter if
it’s a rival like Cameron Jordan or the most cynical fan, everyone should acknowledge the impact Jones left on the sport. This series was created to provide that appreciation for someone I had the pleasure of covering for several seasons. What a player. What a career. What a collection of epic performances and iconic moments.
The Legend of Julio Jones: Greatest Games List
Favorable Opponent
300 Yards and Runnin’
Ending an Undefeated Season
Final Takeover
Giant Takeover
Another memorable Monday night
Historic night in Lambeau
College Rivalry Reignited
Playoff explosion
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