The Atlanta Falcons are trying to play upset in Week 16 as they prepare to play the undefeated Carolina Panthers. The Falcons found a little momentum last Sunday with a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars as both Devonta Freeman and Julio Jones found the endzone. Jones will be a player to watch in Week 16 as he prepares to face off against Josh Norman, a player the receiver says is not yet elite.
Norman has found himself in the headlines lately after a battle with Odell Beckham Jr. Now the Panthers' cornerback is set to face off again with Jones who has been doing some talking along with Roddy White. Both receivers questioned the "eliteness" of Norman while White simply laughed off the idea that Norman was a top cornerback in the NFL. Norman made it clear how he feels about White.
"I know Julio [Jones] is leading right now, receivers wise,'' Norman said, via ESPN.com. "Roddy, I think, is their fifth receiver coming in behind the tight end and running backs. I think he has one reception for a touchdown this year, so we're going to try to hold him out as much as we can."
Norman will be paired with Jones for most of the game. White could aim to have a breakout game as a result. White might not respect Norman as an elite cornerback, but quarterback Matt Ryan certainly does. Ryan will be looking the way of Jones as much as possible in order to beat the Panthers. He told the media via ESPN.com, "I have a lot of respect for Josh Norman. I think he's a very good football player and has had a great year, but I like Julio against everybody we go against."
The Falcons have been doing a lot of talking heading into this game for a team that is struggling to find the endzone. Ryan will need Jones and White to backup their talk on the field while players like Jacob Tamme and Justin Hardy could see more action as well. The run game will be a priority as it got out of its slump in Week 15. Freeman finally found the endzone and after notching his first Pro Bowl nomination, he is eyeing 1,000 yards on the year.
"(The Panthers game left) a bitter taste in my mouth. I'll never forget that. Never," Freeman said, via MYAJC.com. "No matter how many championships you win, no matter how many games you won, I'm always going to remember that loss. I feel like, whatever the game plan is, that's what we're going to do. Whether we get the ball 14 times, 12 times, we have to win at the end of the day and make plays."
The Falcons were shut out in their first matchup against the Panthers. The team would love to get revenge as their season prepares to come to an end in the next two games.
