Atlanta Falcons: Studs and duds vs. Buccaneers in Week 17
Stud: Julio Jones
Another stud performer in the Week 17 contest for the Atlanta Falcons while taking on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa Bay on Sunday was Falcons star wide receiver Julio Jones.
Jones has been outstanding really all season long, keeping up with the trend that we’ve been able to see from the wide receiver really for the entirety of his professional career leading into the 2019 campaign.
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On Sunday afternoon in the Week 17 overtime win, Jones once again was the primary target for Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan and in the Falcons’ passing attack, leading the team for yet another week through the air.
Jones managed to finish the contest with a team-best 78 yards on a total of seven receptions and 13 overall targets. The wide receiver, who was held without a touchdown reception in the game, finished with a game-long reception of 29 yards in the overtime win.
Dud: Rushing defense
Tampa Bay was able to rattle off a total of 136 yards on the ground, out-rushing Atlanta 136-87 in the game that ended up taking overtime to decide who would come out on top. The Buccaneers were led in the game by Ronald Jones II, who finished with 11 rushes for 106 yards, breaking out for a game-long rush of 36 yards in the matchup.
Tampa Bay was held to no rushing touchdowns in the game by the Atlanta defense and the Falcons defense was able to come up big at the end of the game to help them to victory, but the rushing defense was an area of concern throughout the contest.