The Atlanta Falcons are preparing for their first game against the New Orleans Saints who could be considered their biggest rival in the league. The Falcons might be undefeated and the Saints might be struggling to find wins, but this game is normally unpredictable as both teams battle for the NFC South. With Julio Jones playing, but not healthy, Matt Ryan will rely on several other names to help get the job done on the short week.
According to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, Jones will play on Thursday night, but be limited in his pitch count. The wide receiver has been dealing with lingering hamstring injuries, but has every plan to be on the field and help his teammates. Jones' presence cannot be denied, forcing the defense to respect him which could mean for a big night from other players on offense.
"History shows I've played on a broken foot and a lot of hamstring injuries,'' Jones said, via ESPN.com. "Everybody is playing hurt. It's the NFL. Everybody going to have nicks and bruises. The defense, they still have to respect me. They still have to put two guys on me. And I think I did my job.''
With Jones hampered at best, a big night could be coming for players like Jacob Tamme and Roddy White. The tight end led the team in receiving against the Washington Redskins and could continue the momentum. The Falcons have been struggling to get production out of their tight ends, but Tamme appears to be the favored option right now. He ended the day against Washington with eight catches for 94 yards. The tight end is aiming to keep things up.
The same can be said for White who has been more than quiet on the field this season. White finally had a few catches in Game 5 and it could continue with Jones injured. White told the media that it was nice to hear the fans cheer for him following the Washington game and he hopes the momentum continues. Head coach Dan Quinn was happy with what he saw.
''He's a really important part of what we're doing,'' Quinn said, via Yahoo Sports. ''He's a really important factor for us, has been for a really long time, and will continue to be. He's just as tough as they get, and somebody that you can totally count on especially when the game is on the line.''
The offense is expected to continue going through Devonta Freeman. Tevin Coleman will get more of a work load as he comes back healthier than last week. However, no one can deny the run that Freeman has been on as he leads the league in touchdowns. The Falcons have no plans on slowing him down any time soon.
