All season long Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has said he’s confident rookie wide receiver Justin Hardy would make an impact when he got the chance.
That moment came on Sunday at Jacksonville, and Hardy delivered with two key third-down catches on the final scoring drive of the 23-17 victory.
“I’m really happy for Justin Hardy for the first (time) late in the game, having those situations come up and being able to make those plays,” Ryan said.
The Falcons needed someone to do it in the worst way.
When they got the ball with 8:26 remaining, they were clinging to a 20-17 lead after leading by two touchdowns at halftime. Julio Jones was having a big day but with the Jaguars focused on stopping him late and Ryan facing a ferocious pass rush, some other Falcons receivers needed to contribute.
Hardy came through with a 20-yard catch on third-and-nine. Three plays later he had a none-yard reception on third-and-five. In both cases Hardy showed savvy by finding an opening against zone coverage.
“Definitely simple routes,” Hardy said. “Just find the hole where the defense allows you to be (and) not being too fast and sitting in the right spot.”
The Falcons converted another third down on Roddy White’s 17-yard catch to Jacksonville’s 20-yard line. Shayne Graham kicked a 46-yard field goal with 1:46 to play, and the defense stopped Jacksonville to preserve the victory.
It could have been a more harrowing finish for the Falcons if not for Hardy’s third-down catches. The Falcons selected Hardy in the fourth round of the draft out of East Carolina. He now has just 12 catches for 109 yards on the season but the plays he made against the Jaguars suggest he’s developing.
“He’s a rookie and being put in those situations early on, it comes with experience,” Jones said. “You could see today he made a lot of key third downs for us and big catches in the game. He’s come a long way.”
