FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Let's be clear, Julio Jones' stat line from Week 1 – four catches for 66 yards – should in no way be considered a poor performance. He caught 80 percent of the passes thrown his way and gained 16.5 yards per catch, which is a pretty strong outing.
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If anything, the concern some fans have about his usage or output only serves to illustrate how dominant he can really be. Luckily, if the past is any indication, Jones could be in line for a big game on Sunday night.
Over the past three years, in the games following ones in which he was held under 70 receiving yards, Jones has averaged 6.9 catches for 114.9 yards and .5 touchdowns.
As impressive as that stat line is, he was even better at bouncing back last season. Jones was held under 70 yards six times during the 2016 regular season, in the following games he averaged 7.6 catches for 144.2 yards and .8 touchdowns.
In his four career games against the Packers, Jones averages six catches for 121 yards and a touchdown.
It sure seems as though Jones is intent on putting together a big game for the home-opener. According to offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, he's "practiced like crazy" this week.
There are certainly no guarantees in the NFL, but don't be surprised if Jones ends up having a big impact on Sunday night.
