Jones will be ready Sunday
Published 9:06 am Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Don’t fret, Atlanta Falcons fans.
Julio Jones will be ready to go in the NFC championship game.
Coach Dan Quinn insisted Monday that his All-Pro receiver will be in the lineup when the Falcons play for a spot in the Super Bowl against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, despite a lingering foot injury that limited Jones in the second half of a divisional-round victory.
Jones wasn’t in the locker room for media availability following the 36-20 triumph over the Seattle Seahawks, leading to speculation that the injury might be more serious than the Falcons were letting on.
But Quinn did his best to put all that to rest.
“We’ll limit him throughout the week, and then as the week progresses, we’ll get him a little more at the end,” the coach said. “That’s the plan from last week. That will be the plan moving forward for us. He’s excited to play.”
Jones dealt with foot issues through much of the regular season, even sitting out a couple of games. Quinn initially called the condition “turf toe” — a potentially serious condition involving a sprain of ligaments around the big toe — but later said it was just a simple sprain.
Jones has learned to deal with the pain and the limitations he must place on himself during the week to ensure he’s ready to go on Sunday, according to Quinn.
Even though Jones was sidelined for a significant part of the second half against the Seahawks, he had his way against cornerback Richard Sherman and finished with a team-high six receptions for 67 yards, including a 7-yard touchdown. During the regular season, Jones totaled 83 catches for 1,409 yards and six touchdowns.