All eyes are on the Atlanta Falcons injury report heading into the Week 15 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team is coming off an encouraging loss, if there is such a thing, to the Green Bay Packers where the offense looked their best in over two years. The main reason for that was Julio Jones and the 259 yards he put up on just 11 catches. However, that franchise-best performance came at the price of his hip which is now a cause for concern with three games left to play.
According to head coach Mike Smith, Jones is just sore after his big game and a very physical performance against the Packers. Jones suffered the hip injury in the fourth quarter of the Monday Night Football game and did not return. He attempted to loosen things up on the sideline, but was unable to return for the remainder of the game. The Falcons got off one more scoring drive capped off with an endzone catch from Harry Douglas, but Jones admitted he was frustrated to be out.
"It was very tough," Jones said, via ESPN.com. "Last year, I missed the majority of the season with a broken foot. And that came back into my mind when I wasn't able to go back out there with my teammates and fight with them at the end of the game. I'll be OK. I just have to get treatment this week, and we'll go from there."
Smith told reporters that he is very optimistic Jones will be able to play and be productive against the Steelers on Sunday. Team sources report that the injury is merely a bruise, but the official diagnosis is unclear. Jones might not get as much practice time as players like Roddy White or Harry Douglas this week, but Smith believes he will be good to go for an important home game against the Steelers.
"That was a very physical football game that was played last night, and both Julio and William (Moore) are guys that are sore this morning," Smith said. "Julio has a hip injury, and William Moore has a foot injury. And we're hoping that both of these guys will be ready to go at the end of the week. How much practice time they're going to get, we don't know that at this point in time. But it's our intention to do everything in our power to have these guys ready to go against Pittsburgh."
The Falcons remain in the driver's seat in the NFC South, but have to essentially win out in order to make the postseason. Jones will be a critical part of that effort. The Falcons got White back from an ankle injury which certainly helps and Steven Jackson is actually running well for the first time in his tenure with the team so the pressure is off a little, but Atlanta needs Jones regardless.