The Atlanta Falcons will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 12. Among all the players in this game, Julio Jones is in line for a massive breakout performance for the Falcons.
Through the first 11 weeks, Jones has hauled in 59 receptions, 882 yards, and four touchdowns. Surprisingly enough, the Falcons' All-Pro wide receiver hasn't caught a touchdown since Week 3 versus the Indianapolis Colts.
Atlanta has won two consecutive games to improve their still downtrodden record to 3-7. Despite the team's struggles, Jones is showcasing that he is still one of the best wide receivers in the NFL.
Compared to other seasons though, Jones is averaging fewer yards per game than he's typically accustomed to. The athletic wide receiver has averaged 88.2 receiving yards per game in 2019 (fewest in his career since 2012).
Just last season, Jones had a whopping 104.8 receiving yards per game for the Falcons (fourth-most in his career). A difference of 16.6 yards per game is pretty telling of why Atlanta's offense has faltered at certain points this season.
Nevertheless, Jones will be the next lucky contestant to face the decimated secondary of the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay has the second-worst pass defense in the NFL, that gives up 290.9 passing yards per game.
Of the Buccaneers' 10 games played so far, they've allowed six quarterbacks to eclipse 300 yards. On Sunday, it will be Matt Ryan, one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL, picking apart Tampa Bay's defense.
Throughout their careers together, Ryan and Jones have dominated the Buccaneers through the air. As a matter of fact, in Jones' career, he has averaged seven receptions and 121 yards per game versus the Buccaneers.
Furthermore, Jones has more receptions, yards, and touchdowns against Tampa Bay than he does against any other team in the NFL. Altogether, the talented pass-catcher has totaled 102 receptions, 1,695 yards, and 11 touchdowns versus the Buccaneers.
In addition, this is arguably the worst secondary that Tampa Bay has had since Jones came into the NFL. After releasing Vernon Hargreaves, Tampa Bay's secondary is comprised of Sean Murphy-Bunting, Carlton Davis, Jordan Whitehead, and Mike Edwards.
There's a good chance that if you ask a casual fan of the NFL, they won't be able to name any of those players. Unfortunately, those are the defensive backs that the Buccaneers are expecting to contain one of the best receivers of this generation.
Before Sunday's game, Julio Jones has four games this year where he has caught five receptions and had over 100 yards. The Falcons' dominant wide receiver will have yet another dominant performance against the Buccaneers in Week 12.
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