Julio Jones has 300-yard game one week after 1-catch outing

ByVaughn McClure ESPN logo
Sunday, October 2, 2016

ATLANTA -- Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones, held to one catch in his last outing, set a franchise record with 300 receiving yards in the Falcons' win against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

Jones hit exactly 300 yards on his 12th catch of the game -- a 75-yard catch-and-run touchdown from quarterback Matt Ryan to give the Falcons a 41-26 lead. Jones shattered his own record of 259 yards, set against Green Bay in 2014.

On the same play, Ryan set the franchise single-game passing mark with 503 yards, breaking his own record of 448 set against the New Orleans Saints in 2014.

Jones' effort Sunday was the sixth time in NFL history a receiver had at least 300 yards receiving in a game, and the first since former Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson had 329 yards against the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 27, 2013. Former Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Willie "Flipper" Anderson holds the NFL record with 336 yards against the Saints in an overtime game on Nov. 26, 1989.

Fans started chanting, "Julio, Julio,'' with just under 4 minutes left in regulation.

ESPN's Ed Werder asked Jones afterward how he dominated the game.

"It's just for my brothers,'' Jones said. "We have a brotherhood here. We worked the whole offseason to create that. My success today is from them, just being out on the field with them.''

Before Sunday's game, Jones had four catches for 66 yards in a season-opening loss to Tampa Bay, five catches for 106 at Oakland, and then one for 16 yards (on seven targets) in Monday night's 45-32 win over the New Orleans Saints.

Jones, who has been battling a calf injury, had four catches for 94 yards in the first quarter alone Sunday and had seven catches for 170 yards at halftime.

"People said I had the worst three games of my career, but I don't think so,'' Jones said. "I'm going out there, they're doubling me. I'm taking double coverage, and others guys are working out there. It's a brotherhood. Today was my day. They singled me, and I came through and made some plays for the team.''

The Falcons (3-1) defeated the Panthers 48-33.

Jones entered Sunday's game with a team-high 188 receiving yards on 10 catches.

Last season, Jones had the second-most receiving yards in NFL history with 1,871 yards on 136 catches. Johnson holds the single-season record with 1,964 (in 2012).

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