While the New Orleans Saints will be without their left side of their offensive line on Thanksgiving Day, their opposers, the Atlanta Falcons, could be without their best player. Wide receiver Julio Jones is questionable with a right shoulder injury.
Jones did not practice throughout the Falcons' walkthroughs before the short turnaround against the vaunted NFC South rival. If “Jet” Jones is unable to play, offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter says he has a plan in place, which lies within wide-outs Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage.
“I know Julio really wants to play, and he's doing everything in his power [he can] to play,” Koetter said on Wednesday, via Vaughn McClure of ESPN. “It's just going to be a game-time decision… We've got to plan both ways. The game's going to go on. We'll have to do a few different things with Rid (Calvin Ridley) and with Russ (Russell Gage). Julio, it's not like that's a guy you replace. You've got to move some guys around and make the best of it.”
Though Jones injured his right shoulder in the loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he did finish the game, playing 48 of the team's 85 offensive snaps (56%). He finished with five receptions for 68 yards.
Jones leads the Falcons in receiving with 64 receptions for 950 yards and four touchdowns. He needs another 50 yards to hit his sixth consecutive season of 1,000 yards or more. He has not missed a game throughout Atlanta's dismal (3-8) season.
If Jones is out, the passing offense will run through Ridley and Gage. Star tight end Austin Hooper is out as he nurses a sprained MCL.
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