Statistical evidence of Falcons’ need for Julio Jones
Despite defensive shortcomings, the Falcons also needed Julio Jones' game-breaking abilities.
Opinions — many dissenting – continue to flow in on whether the Falcons made the right call with the most bold decision in the NFL draft: trading several draft picks for the right to move up and draft Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones.
I understand the concern. The Falcons need defensive help. I’m not oblivious to the 48 points Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay hung on them in the playoffs. I was at the game. But to suggest they didn’t need some help on offense and a potential game-breaker on that side of the ball ignores the obvious.
Loading ...Overshadowed in that Green Bay game: The Falcons weren’t very good on offense, either. They scored 21 points. But one touchdown was a 102-yard kickoff return. Another was a 48-yard drive, following a Packers’ fumble at midfield. The final touchdown didn’t matter: It came in the fourth quarter when the Falcons already trailed 42-14.
But the best evidence that the Falcons needed some help on offense comes from my pal and former AJC comrade Len Pasquarelli, now of The Sports Xchange. Len wrote a piece making the case for the Falcons’ need for an explosive player on offense.
Here’s a key excerpt:
Despite leading the league in receptions (115), and establishing a single-season franchise record for receiving yards (1,389) in 2010, wide receiver Roddy White averaged a career-worst 12.1 yards per catch. As a team, the Falcons had only 32 receptions of 20 yards or more (the standard most teams, including Atlanta, use to define “explosive” plays) in 2010, next to last in the league. The team’s six plays of 40 yards are more ranked 22nd, and White had only three. By comparison, 18 players had more than that.
The club’s average of 6.46 yards per attempt ranked 25th in the league.
Quarterback Matt Ryan ranked 11th in the league in his rookie season of 2008 with an average of 7.93 yards per attempt. Over the past two seasons, though, his yards per pass attempt was only a combined 6.48 yards, nearly 1 ½ yards less. He was 26th in the NFL in 2010 and 21st in 2009.
So here’s my question: With a few more days to think about it, how do you feel now about the Falcons’ deal for Jones?
By Jeff Schultz
♦
Earlier today
– Braves’ Lowe bounces back from arrest and first inning
– Roger McDowell fortunate to be suspended only two weeks
– Braves can’t go lightly on discipline for McDowell, Lowe
Follow me on Twitter @JeffSchultzAJC; friend me at Facebook.com/JeffSchultzAJC
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
206 comments Add your comment
Jesse Stone
May 2nd, 2011
2:53 pm
GTPhenom
May 2nd, 2011
2:49 pm
Ask my team. The Steelers …
It is a lot better to stop someone than try and get into a shootout against every team. There is that old saying, “DEFENSE wins CHAMPIONSHIPS!” Not Wide Recievers
_____________________________________________________________
You make this statement with short memory. The Green Bay Packers beat “your team” by outscoring them in the last Super Bowl.
mE
May 2nd, 2011
2:54 pm
GTPhenom said “There is that old saying, “DEFENSE wins CHAMPIONSHIPS!” Not Wide Recievers.”
Here’s an old saying, ” It’s best to be thought of as an idiot than to open (blog) and remove all doubt.”
Jesse Stone
May 2nd, 2011
2:55 pm
Flacco (and Sanchez) also had a top notch defense that left them with good field position more times than not. Having that good defense also allowed them to take more chances.
JB
May 2nd, 2011
2:55 pm
I agree with Monty. Poor route selection and how do we provide time for QB to throw long with our line, Also, can he make long throws consistently and more passes mean more chance for QB injuries. We need a stud on both OL and DL. P. Jerry better not turn out to be a bust.
GTPhenom
May 2nd, 2011
2:55 pm
Really, all the experts say he is elite? What, are you going by John Clayton’s magical list of elite QBs? The same one that said Donovan McNabb was elite? In his eyes there are 10-15 elite QBs in the league. Right now, there are five elite QBs in this league, and if you ask me, being elite constitutes being great: Big Ben, P. Manning, T. Brady, A. Rodgers, and D. Brees. Those five, and that is IT. Not saying they Falcons can’t win with Ryan. Heck, the Ravens won with freaking Trent Dilfer, so anything is possible. But you people seem to think he is some special QB. News Flash, he isn’t.
GTPhenom
May 2nd, 2011
2:56 pm
BINGO Jesse Stone. You just answered my ultimate point in all of this. Defense wins championships. Exactly why picking a Wide Reciever was an absolute waste in this draft. At least you agree with me there.
mE
May 2nd, 2011
2:57 pm
GTPhenom
May 2nd, 2011
2:51 pm
Other than the fact that everyone got so overworked and emotional about vick and Petrino, it isn’t like the Falcons haven’t had talent. And really, your telling me Flacco at the very least has had weapons like Ryan has had all three years? Flacco had Ray Rice and that was it.
Enough said…….you’re an idiot.
Jesse Stone
May 2nd, 2011
2:59 pm
How many championships have Flacco and Sanchez won?
GTPhenom
May 2nd, 2011
3:00 pm
Really, because the Green Bay Offense was the source of all of that, right? Three turnovers that led directly to 21 points all in perfect scoring position didn’t, did they? Our defense effectively held them to 10 points buddy. Offensively we gifted them 21 points. Try again. mE, really, what justification do you have for that, because A) I’m certainly not going around name calling, and B) I’m simply talking offensive weapons here. Care to elaborate? You say better not to open your mouth but list one unreasonable thing I’ve said. Not once have I said you have to agree with me, just that my opinion is that Wide Reciever was a waste, especially when you can pick up great ones in later rounds (as reference, see Mike Wallace)
mE
May 2nd, 2011
3:01 pm
13-3……….no NFL team can be 13-3 with a defense as bad as some of you think the Falcons have. What would had Sanchez and Flacco done without their defenses? So, if Ryan had such a “bad” defense and lead his team to a 13-3 record then that’s enough proof to me that Ryan is a DA*N good QB.
Crabkilla
May 2nd, 2011
3:01 pm
He seems like a good kid with a “team first” mentality. There is no doubt that he is an absolute beast. I welcome Julio to Atlanta with open arms.
Jesse Stone
May 2nd, 2011
3:01 pm
Green Bay’s OFFENSE won a championship.
mE
May 2nd, 2011
3:03 pm
GTPhenom
May 2nd, 2011
3:00 pm
Really, because the Green Bay Offense was the source of all of that, right? Three turnovers that led directly to 21 points all in perfect scoring position didn’t, did they? Our defense effectively held them to 10 points buddy. Offensively we gifted them 21 points. Try again. mE, really, what justification do you have for that, because A) I’m certainly not going around name calling, and B) I’m simply talking offensive weapons here. Care to elaborate? You say better not to open your mouth but list one unreasonable thing I’ve said. Not once have I said you have to agree with me, just that my opinion is that Wide Reciever was a waste, especially when you can pick up great ones in later rounds (as reference, see Mike Wallace)
Want some crackers and cheese to go with that WHINE?
Jesse Stone
May 2nd, 2011
3:03 pm
No more excuses to why “your team” lost. If you didn’t give Rodgers a short field, he would’ve put up the points anyway and added more yards.
Jesse Stone
May 2nd, 2011
3:04 pm
Ever notice how there are a TON of Steelers fans around, but nobody wants to claim the Pirates. Why is that?
SteveW
May 2nd, 2011
3:05 pm
I hope we didn’t draft a Darrius Heyward Bey (#7 pick in ‘09) or a Ted Ginn Jr. (#9 pick in ‘07), Braylon Edwards (#3) or Troy Williamson (#7) both in ‘05.
I mean Calvin Johnson at #2 in ‘07 and Larry Fitzgerald at #3 in ‘04 are the only WR’s chosen in the top 10 in the past several years who ever done consistently well. That’s it.
With all that said, I still like the trade. All of life is a risk, a gamble. But his one is probably about as sure of a bet as you can get really.
So I like the trade, even if history is very much against a trade like this.
GTPhenom
May 2nd, 2011
3:05 pm
Jesse Stone, I really hope you realize I haven’t called Flacco and Sanchez elite, and if I did I deeply apologize. They are close than Ryan if you ask me. I simply said at least they can win the occasional big game. Ryan hasn’t done that yet, and all I have said concerning him is that he needs to figure out how to do it. Damn, you people are beyond sensitive about things is what I am realizing. It’s not like I dislike the Falcons in any way. just felt like presenting my opinions. But clearly, if anything negative (regardless of how true it is) is said, you people lose it. How bout face the fact that to this point, Matt Ryan is no Big Ben, he is no Tom Brady, he is not Peyton Manning, etc. etc. He is simply a solid QB who might end up making a good career.
StillDirtyBirdin
May 2nd, 2011
3:07 pm
The NFL is different now, people. “The best side of the ball wins championships”. The Packers D didn’t win the chip for them, nor the Colts, nor the Rams. Whatever side of the ball you play best on is what you invest in. **Disclaimer** I’m not saying NOT to have a competent other side of the ball (re: Chiefs in the 2000’s), but you can suffice with one or two “playmakers” and focus on either offense or defense. We weren’t going to get another “playmaker” opposite Abraham at 27.
RISE UP
JROLL1
May 2nd, 2011
3:07 pm
I WAS AGAINST IT WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT WHAT THEY GAVE UP. BUT, TURNS OUT IT WAS BEING REPORTED WRONG. FALCONS DID NOT GIVE UP 2 FIRST ROUND PICKS PEOPLE…THEY SWAPPED THIS YEAR’S NUMBER ONE. AND LORD KNOWS THEY NEED SOME BODY TO STRETCH THE FIELD! AND PLEASE MATTY ICE…THROW THE BALL TO HARRY DOUGLAS A FEW TIMES….
BigTimeTECHFan
May 2nd, 2011
3:08 pm
Remeber the Blitz worked pretty good, just Brees and Rogers made them miss the tackles, that can be fixed in preseason
kerryb
May 2nd, 2011
3:08 pm
Rocket Science??? sign the dog killing Michael Vick after what he did to us last time? Really/?? Really??? That has to be THE dumbest, most moronic comment I have ever seen on a blog. We have a Pro Bowl QB now who doesn’t embarrass your team and you want to sign that piece of trash. I can’t believe you are that stupid.
Paul N Destin
May 2nd, 2011
3:09 pm
Folks what many of you are missing is that JUlio played 3 years at Bama with QB’s that couldn’t deliever the ball as quickly as you want thus his long plays weren’t at the same level as it will be in the NFL. Both John Parker Wilson and Greg McElroy played within the system but lacked the arm strength to take advantage of the receiving corps that Bama has/had. The defensive backs got to cheat when covering Julio knowing the ball was slow and late to arrive. Just hold on to your hat and wait for the season to begin and then we can all have this conversation again about who’s on 1st base in the draft.
Jimmy Crack
May 2nd, 2011
3:11 pm
Jeff, you’re a freaking genius. You must be channeling Pasquarelli. Another problem we had last year is the absolute crack addiction to running the football. That should change now with 2 “1A & 1B” wide receivers to where every play is a play action pass waiting to happen, and when the safeties are settled back on their heels worried about those two, run Turner the tank for twenty.
GTPhenom
May 2nd, 2011
3:12 pm
Lol, keep twisting the facts. I really just have to laugh at you people. No one is making excuses. I was one of the first to congratulate GB fans on a tough, hard fought win. But you are blind to think the outcome wouldn’t be different, because if you think so, you clearly didn’t see how horrid Rodgers look in normal circumstances against our D. Again, what excuses do I possibly have to make? Three appearances in only six years, two rings, a slew of AFC Championships, a QB with the best active playoff winning percentages and two rings, a defense loaded with Super Stars, the most Super Bowl Championships, and, oh yeah, a recent win over this great Atlanta team you people are hyping, WITHOUT our star QB. You people are the same ones bashing your own team when you lost that first game. So get off of it. Again you act like I have some reason to attack the Falcons.
mE
May 2nd, 2011
3:12 pm
True…..Paul, true.
GTPhenom
May 2nd, 2011
3:14 pm
Anyways, fun chatting with you all, just don’t put all your hope that a wide reciever a solid QB are going to win your a championship. Win a playoff game here for our hometown and then maybe I might start to become a Falcon fan again. Until then I will stick with the team I grew up knowing and the team that has consistently shown how to win. Peace out.
mE
May 2nd, 2011
3:15 pm
GTPhenom
May 2nd, 2011
3:12 pm
Lol, keep twisting the facts. I really just have to laugh at you people. No one is making excuses. I was one of the first to congratulate GB fans on a tough, hard fought win. But you are blind to think the outcome wouldn’t be different, because if you think so, you clearly didn’t see how horrid Rodgers look in normal circumstances against our D. Again, what excuses do I possibly have to make? Three appearances in only six years, two rings, a slew of AFC Championships, a QB with the best active playoff winning percentages and two rings, a defense loaded with Super Stars, the most Super Bowl Championships, and, oh yeah, a recent win over this great Atlanta team you people are hyping, WITHOUT our star QB. You people are the same ones bashing your own team when you lost that first game. So get off of it. Again you act like I have some reason to attack the Falcons.
DURN IT GT!!!!! I’m running out of cheese and crackers…….stop your WHINING!!!
GTPhenom
May 2nd, 2011
3:16 pm
Lol, who is whining mE? You don’t seem to understand that I have nothing to complaing about. My team knows how to win championships, unlike the one here in Atlanta.
mE
May 2nd, 2011
3:16 pm
GTPhenom
May 2nd, 2011
3:14 pm
Anyways, fun chatting with you all, just don’t put all your hope that a wide reciever a solid QB are going to win your a championship. Win a playoff game here for our hometown and then maybe I might start to become a Falcon fan again. Until then I will stick with the team I grew up knowing and the team that has consistently shown how to win. Peace out.
You will not be welcomed back GT……..stay where you’re at, we wound need you.
mE
May 2nd, 2011
3:18 pm
GTPhenom
May 2nd, 2011
3:16 pm
Lol, who is whining mE? You don’t seem to understand that I have nothing to complaing about. My team knows how to win championships, unlike the one here in Atlanta.
I thought peace out meant you were leaving? Now shew….git outta here!!!!
mE
May 2nd, 2011
3:19 pm
You will not be welcomed back GT……..stay where you’re at, we won’t need you.
Scott Case
May 2nd, 2011
3:19 pm
stretch the field, and oh wait – there’s Tong G open down the middle of the field again for a 30 yard gainer. This will make everyone on offense better – even Michael Turner. Great move Thomas, and daddy Arthur, thank you for pulling out the checkbook!
DawgDad
May 2nd, 2011
3:19 pm
Good move. I think the brass saw what GB did with that stable of receivers last year and said “We could do that, too”. Now we have White, Jones, and Jenkins at wideout, Douglas and Meier (presumably) in the slot, TG at TE. We can line up four wideouts and we can stretch the field on both sidelines. And we can keep that safety out of the box and open space for Turner and Snelling.
Rice had his Taylor, Irvin his Harper. I like this move. I also think we may get some of these picks back when the FA period kicks in.
JSS
May 2nd, 2011
3:31 pm
Myths of January 15th round# 2045
12 plays 81 yards
10 plays 90 yards
7 plays 80 yards
12 plays 80 yards
8 plays 50 yards
Only 1 time out of the 5 offensive TD drives produced by Green Bay was on a “short field.”
They straight whipped the Falcons, from pillar-to-post!
Bravoman
May 2nd, 2011
3:36 pm
Blank and Dimitroff are the only ones who know how expensive Jones was. A DE through free agency isn’t as risky as drafting and hoping. If a) Jones proves to be e total drop and b) Dimitroff and Blank don’t pull the trigger through FA, then all of the “analyst” can say “told you so”. I like the “let’s do it now move”.
Jesse Stone
May 2nd, 2011
3:38 pm
JSS- That was a Steeler fan making excuses of the Green Bay drives against Pittsburgh. I may have missed it, but I think all Falcon fans acknowledge the whipping we received at the hands of Aaron Rodgers.
JSS
May 2nd, 2011
3:44 pm
DawgDad…
You forgot something in your analysis of the passing game of the 80’s Niners, 90’s Cowboys, 2010 Packers in comparison to the Falcons. Those teams could sustain pass block… You are going to have a 3/5 of the old line most likely…
I like Julio Jones. He will fight for the ball. That is something you must do with Ryan’s arm. Rice and Taylor made a career of it… But unless that O-line has some smoke and mirrors, it is not going to happen. By the way, teams did not really double Roddy that much. What they concentrated on Gonzalez. Well that is until they realized that Tony could no longer clear a zone or the middle of the field… Then they just started to shading to that side…
Mystikal
May 2nd, 2011
3:50 pm
If it makes anyone feel better about the picks we lost, Cleveland didn’t come away with any game changing players. And again if next season goes accordingly that 2012 1st rounder will be between 28 and 32!!
Mystikal
May 2nd, 2011
3:53 pm
Also people forget in that game against the packers we had numerous opportunities to get Rodgers on the ground. We just failed to do so; and there were other opportunities we failed to capitalize on as well. It was just a bad game on the wrong stage, but our defense is not as bad as the score indicated.
Mystikal
May 2nd, 2011
4:04 pm
Hey JS,
Know it’s a long shot, but any guess of what undrafted players we might be looking at whenever the lockout ends?
The U
May 2nd, 2011
4:10 pm
Needs vs best available draft selection. This pick was undoubtly a best avalilable selection. A future first round pick is more important too losing teams. The winners just refine their squad with first rounders. This is a fine tuning the engine pick so that a Green Bay or New Orleans or Philadelpia won’t big play them to death without retaliation of the big play threat.
Dave D
May 2nd, 2011
4:20 pm
You don’t trade that many picks for a second wide out when you have so many glaring needs to fill on the defensive side of the football. Ever. It was completely insane.
The Ghost of Norm Van Brocklin
May 2nd, 2011
4:28 pm
For you naysayers who question the Owner, GM and Coach, which combo would YOU rather have?
Less draft picks, but more wins with Smitty on the sidelines and Ryan throwing to Jones…OR
More draft picks, but less wins with Mora on the sidelines and Vick throwing to (or “at” in his case) anybody?
Hmmm?
Jeff Schultz
May 2nd, 2011
4:29 pm
Reid — There’s never a “certainty” in free agency but there’s reason to feel pretty confident that Falcons will get a quality DE. Most likely: Ray Edwards.
idot
May 2nd, 2011
4:31 pm
If there is a season this year, I think that the Falcons need to beef up their Oline, and improve their pass rushing capabilities, by getting it a half to 1 second quicker, and being able to grab and hold the opposing QB, when they get to him.
And then Mike Smith, needs to take the leash off of Mularky, and start letting him use the weapons that they have on the O.
Jeff Schultz
May 2nd, 2011
4:31 pm
Jimmy Crack — Hah. You might be first one to ever reference running the ball as a “crack addiction.” I’ll see if we can dig up a prize for you.
Jeff Schultz
May 2nd, 2011
4:33 pm
Mystikal — No, sorry. But chances are you’ll see quite a few OLs and DLs. Those signings used to take place right after the draft. But obviously since there has been no free agency yet, those undrafted guys are going to have to wait.
heartofdarkness
May 2nd, 2011
4:35 pm
I thought the Falcons could have used a possession receiver that ran crossing routes which would have made double coverage on Gonzales more risky. Jones will probably start in the slot and could fit that role. The coverages White and Gonzales faced would give Jones and a back who was able to run deeper patterns some favorable matchups. Overall, the offense should be more flexible and potent.
flafalcon
May 2nd, 2011
4:46 pm
Dont worry about the picks, I think a trade or two will happen when strike is over, it may sting a little at who gets let go but it will get us our 2nd & 4th round picks back maybe even a 1st for someone you never know.
Joey
May 2nd, 2011
4:55 pm
You’re right, Jeff. Sometimes a really good offense is better than a great D, if for no other reason than keeping the other team’s O off of the field.
It would have been nice to have about a half-dozen fewer 3-and-outs vs the Packers last December. We probably woulda made it a game.
Unfortunately, much like AJ Green at UGA the past couple of years, a great player like Jones is only as good as his OC’s schemes.
With Mularkey, it’s easy for even for my wife to call the run, run, pass (on 3rd and 7) plays on Sundays.