Jones returns to energize the offense

Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones returned to lineup and helped energize the offense in the 30-14 victory over the Saints on Sunday.

On the first pass from scrimmage, Jones went up high to haul down the ball for a 23-yard gain. He went on to catch seven passes for 107 yards in his return from a hip injury. Jones didn’t play in the previous game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“I just had to go out there and try to make plays,” said Jones, who helped the Falcons amass 322 yards receiving.

He was targeted on eight plays and finished with more than 100 yards receiving for the 19th time over his career.

“They played us a lot of man-to-man and we kind of exposed them because we have a lot of great play makers over here and we made plays,” Jones said.

Jones said he’s not 100 percent healthy, but he plans to play against Carolina with the NFC South title on the line on Sunday.

“I felt OK,” Jones said. “I know that I needed to be out there with my teammates. I missed last week. Before the game I went out and ran around. I felt pretty good. I’m not 100 percent, but it was good enough to go out there and get the W.”

Some thought that Jones would be used as a decoy. He hadn’t practiced with the team since leaving the Green Bay game in the fourth quarter on Dec. 8.

“When the ball is in the air, I have to get it,” Jones said. “I don’t hear (anything). I don’t feel (anything). I just have to catch the ball.”

Jones said he didn’t know if he was going to play until after he warmed up. Sitting out was tough for Jones.

“It hurts to be on the sideline when those guys are out there playing and you can’t help them,” Jones said.

Jones believes the Falcons will be ready to the Panthers, the defending NFC South champions.

“We can’t add anymore pressure to ourselves,” Jones said. “We just have to continue to do what we do. There are so many people out there who doubt you and say you can’t do this or you can’t do that. Or, that you’re 5-8, but we control what we do in this locker room. We just have to keep fighting.”

The Falcons were elated to have Jones.

“Way to strap it on and go Jones,” Falcons wide receiver Roddy White said.

Officials explains: Referee John Parry tried to explain the ruling on the apparent touchdown by Saints tight end Jimmy Graham.

“We spent the full 60 seconds, and we looked at every (replay) angle,” Parry told the Pro Football Writers of America’s pool reporter Jeff Duncan of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. “We primarily focused on the angle that was – I wouldn’t say exactly – but was pretty close to being down on the goal line to try to determine if it was either a score and/or a catch-fumble recovered by Atlanta.

“There was nothing clear and undisputable to make a change to the ruling from the field. It we would have ruled score, it probably would have stayed a score. If we ruled catch-fumble, recovered Atlanta, (not) enough to change it.”

The officials may have had trouble seeing the ball because of the Saints’ black jerseys.

“I don’t think that was an issue,” Parry said. “It just wasn’t enough to say this amount of football has clearly penetrated the goal line to make the change.”

Sack attack: The Falcons, who were last in the league with 16 sacks entering Week 16, registered a season-high five sacks against the Saints.

Defensive end Jonathan Babineaux, safety Dwight Lowery, outside linebacker Kroy Biermann, defensive end Ra’Shede Hageman and defensive tackle Corey Peters each had a sack. Babineaux also had two quarterback hits.

“I thought we did a good job of mixing our pressure and our four-man rushes,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “When we had the four-man rushes we were getting some one-on-ones. You’ve got five or six guys in the protection and some guys are going to get doubled. When you get the one-on-one, you have to win.”

Injury report: The win may prove costly for the Falcons as running back Steve Jackson left the game with a quadriceps injury and did not return and could be lost for the regular-season finale and any the playoffs.

Safety William Moore (shoulder) left the game and did not return. He was on injured reserve this season with a shoulder injury.

Also, kicker Matt Bryant was sick, but played.

Lowery (shoulder), nickel back Josh Wilson (hamstring) and linebacker Paul Worrilow (left arm) all suffered injuries in the game. Lowery and Worrilow returned to the action.