Atlanta Falcons: Julio Jones Must be Better in 2018
By Kit Anderson
Watching the Atlanta Falcons offense in 2017 was summed up best in one word… painful. From the movement pre-snap, to the play design, and execution there was little consistency. That included star wide receiver Julio Jones who must be better in 2018.
Julio Jones is the best player on the Atlanta Falcons roster and a generational talent who made plenty of great catches in 2017. But, with that said, when that is who you are as a player and you are paid as such the standards are not only much higher but different.
Matt Ryan’s accuracy may have been a tad off at times in 2017 but that failed to explain Julio Jones tendency to drop the football.
Jones dropped enough passes to put him in the top five in the NFL in drops depending on the metric you choose he was in the top two. That is completely unacceptable for a receiver that I believe to be the most talented in the NFL.
Jones is a monster one who can outrun you or run through you. In 2017 however, he wasn’t the best receiver in the NFL his drops and issues in the red-zone would leave Antonio Brown as clearly the best in 2017.
That isn’t to say Julio Jones isn’t still the best overall, only that last season he was clearly outplayed. For the Falcons to find success again on offense Julio Jones is going to have to return to form.
It may seem odd to say that about a receiver that put up over 1,400 yards last season but looking at his longest plays and red-zone routes Julio must be better for the Falcons in 2018.
Not only if he wants to show who the best receiver in the NFL is but also if the Falcons want to take a step forward.
Jones averaged 90 yards a game last year after four straight seasons of 100 or more yards per game. There will be no more excuses of a Super Bowl hangover in 2018 it is time for the best receiver in the NFL to reclaim his title and help bring the Falcon’s offense back to the dominance that it is capable of.