Falcons coach Dan Quinn said he anticipates star wide receiver Julio Jones will play on Thursday night against the Saints but Jones stopped short of saying he will be ready.
“That’s my plan, to play,” Jones said today. “But who knows?”
Jones was limited by a sore hamstring during Sunday’s victory against the Redskins and has just three days to heal before the Falcons play the Saints. He’s had extensive therapy for the hamstring since then, including ice and electric stimulation, but he said he’s been taking it easy.
“Mainly sleep,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing… . I can’t put a time on it, (or say) how I will be feeling prior to the game.”
Jones was nearly unstoppable through the first three games with 440 yards receiving and four touchdowns. He was limited to four catches for 28 yards in Week 4 against the Texans as the Falcons didn’t need him much during the blowout victory.
Jones appeared to lack his usual quickness and explosiveness while playing 74 of 81 snaps against the Redskins and catching five passes for 67. The Redskins still had to respect his big-play ability, and Jones said he didn’t further aggravate the hamstring.
Jones said the hamstring has been getting better since Sunday and he thinks he still can be valuable for the Falcons even if he’s not 100 percent.
“If I can go, I am going to go,” he said. “I am going to have to be really down bad not to go out there and play. If I feel like I am putting myself in danger as far as going out there and not being able to make a defender miss, then I won’t go. If I feel like I can do that and help my team by drawing coverage and doing my job, I’m going to go.”
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