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Falcons rookie Jones could pose problems for Bears


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Falcons rookie Jones could pose problems for Bears 63871567-10081305.jpg

Julio Jones brings an explosive new element to the Falcons' offense. (US Presswire Photo)

By Dan Pompei

Tribune reporter

8:36 a.m. CDT, August 10, 2011

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- There is something different about the Atlanta Falcons -- the season-opening opponent of the Chicago Bears -- and it doesn’t take long to notice it.

The something different -- 6-3, 233-pound receiver Julio Jones -- is making plays all over the practice field in training camp.

Soldier Field “You can’t tell he’s a rookie,” Falcons middle linebacker Curtis Lofton says of the wide receiver. “He’s that good.”

The early read is Jones is exactly what Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff hoped for when he traded two first-round picks, a second-round pick and two fourth-round picks to move up 21 spots in the draft to select Jones with the sixth overall pick in the April draft.

Had the Falcons not been able to swing the deal and had they stayed put at 27, the player they were targeting was Gabe Carimi, who went two spots later to the Bears. Jones can impact games in ways Carimi couldn’t dream of. But he says he won’t feel the pressure of high expectations.

“It’s football,” Jones said. “I’m a football player. I can’t do anything superhuman. I’m not going to do anything crazy. I’m going to work hard every day, just try to get better.”

If Jones could be superhuman, he would figure out how to learn the Falcons offense on short order. He said he has been working with quarterback Matt Ryan since June on getting their timing down, but since camp has begun Jones has had a lot thrown at him.

He took the first rep of camp with the first team, and everyone expects that he will be in the starting lineup on opening day Sept. 11 in Soldier Field against the Bears.

“The difficult thing is knowing everything,” Jones said. “There are big installs every day. I know the majority of the plays, but there are so many different formations. I can sit here and tell you the play, but you have to know play, the split, and what the defense doing. It comes so fast. I have to think about it a little bit.”

It has helped Jones that his teammates have embraced him. Ryan typically pulls him aside before practice and goes over plays. And the veteran receivers on the team also have tried to guide him.

Jones believes he’ll know what he has to know when he has to know it.

“I will be ready for the opener in Chicago,” he said. “Definitely.”

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Everyone is scared of the Bears defense. They are like the Ravens defense. They are getting old. Cutler is not any Flacco. They have no offense. We should definitely win this one.

The only thing that worries me is that defenses typically peak a lot earlier in the season than an offense. Our offense will not be hitting on all cylinders week 1. Their defense being a veteran defense very well may.

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I'd really like to get my hands on the Falcons' playbook. Just to see what its like. The 2003 Patriots playbook is a pretty neat read.

anyway, if we lose to the Bears in week one its no big deal. Opening day games can be bizarre. The real test is week 2.

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This may just be me, but it so bothers me when verifiable information like the size of Julio Jones is misrepresented. Where did the extra 13 lbs come from? He would not be playing WR if he was 233 lbs. NFL.com states 6'3'' 220.

Its funny b/c I heard one of his teammates interviewed last week and they said he is like 6'4' almost 6'5'', really...... :blink:

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Cutler is no Flacco? Cutler is better than Flacco hands down.

I would take Flacco over Cutler. He reminds me of Favre. Very reckless with the ball. JMO though.

The only thing that worries me is that defenses typically peak a lot earlier in the season than an offense. Our offense will not be hitting on all cylinders week 1. Their defense being a veteran defense very well may.

I see your point, but we have a very balanced offense. We have a good run game and our pass game seems to be upgraded. They're offense will not be clicking on all cylinders either. We have a far superior offense than them and our defense is not to shabby either. I expect for our defense to smash Cutler. Did they ever get him any help on that O-Line?

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Falcons rookie Jones could pose problems for Bears 63871567-10081305.jpg

Julio Jones brings an explosive new element to the Falcons' offense. (US Presswire Photo)

By Dan Pompei

Tribune reporter

8:36 a.m. CDT, August 10, 2011

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- There is something different about the Atlanta Falcons -- the season-opening opponent of the Chicago Bears -- and it doesn’t take long to notice it.

The something different -- 6-3, 233-pound receiver Julio Jones -- is making plays all over the practice field in training camp.

Soldier Field “You can’t tell he’s a rookie,” Falcons middle linebacker Curtis Lofton says of the wide receiver. “He’s that good.”

The early read is Jones is exactly what Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff hoped for when he traded two first-round picks, a second-round pick and two fourth-round picks to move up 21 spots in the draft to select Jones with the sixth overall pick in the April draft.

Had the Falcons not been able to swing the deal and had they stayed put at 27, the player they were targeting was Gabe Carimi, who went two spots later to the Bears. Jones can impact games in ways Carimi couldn’t dream of. But he says he won’t feel the pressure of high expectations.

“It’s football,” Jones said. “I’m a football player. I can’t do anything superhuman. I’m not going to do anything crazy. I’m going to work hard every day, just try to get better.”

If Jones could be superhuman, he would figure out how to learn the Falcons offense on short order. He said he has been working with quarterback Matt Ryan since June on getting their timing down, but since camp has begun Jones has had a lot thrown at him.

He took the first rep of camp with the first team, and everyone expects that he will be in the starting lineup on opening day Sept. 11 in Soldier Field against the Bears.

“The difficult thing is knowing everything,” Jones said. “There are big installs every day. I know the majority of the plays, but there are so many different formations. I can sit here and tell you the play, but you have to know play, the split, and what the defense doing. It comes so fast. I have to think about it a little bit.”

It has helped Jones that his teammates have embraced him. Ryan typically pulls him aside before practice and goes over plays. And the veteran receivers on the team also have tried to guide him.

Jones believes he’ll know what he has to know when he has to know it.

“I will be ready for the opener in Chicago,” he said. “Definitely.”

I believe he's also what we needed on offense just like Ray on defense. I feel good about our team.

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Thanks for the great read! However, Julio will be a problem for every opponent and increasingly so as the season progresses.

I'm hopeing he's a huge factor week 2 vs the Eagles,now I'm not trying to jump ahead of myself here but we owe the Eagles a beat down or 3 god I hate the Eagles.

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I would take Flacco over Cutler. He reminds me of Favre. Very reckless with the ball. JMO though.

I see your point, but we have a very balanced offense. We have a good run game and our pass game seems to be upgraded. They're offense will not be clicking on all cylinders either. We have a far superior offense than them and our defense is not to shabby either. I expect for our defense to smash Cutler. Did they ever get him any help on that O-Line?

It says in the article they drafted Gabe Carimi in the 1st. He's playing RT for them, so we'll see how he does against Ray Edwards.

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