Julio Jones unstoppable in Falcons’ 24-20 win over Giants
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Coming off two dismal seasons that cost their coach his job, the Atlanta Falcons recognized how critical a good start would be under the new regime.
Mission accomplished.
Julio Jones tied the club record with 13 receptions, good for 135 yards, including a 37yard reception that set up the winning score with 1: 14 remaining Sunday. Atlanta’s 24-20 comeback victory over the New York Giants gave new boss Dan Quinn a quick opening.
“We’re 2- 0,” said Jones, whose catch down the left sideline behind Prince Amukamara in the final 90 seconds set up Devonta Freeman’s 2-yard TD run. “Like Quinn said postgame, you can’t win the game in the first, second or third quarter. You win the game in the fourth quarter. It’s all about how you finish.” Definitely. And while the Falcons have been superb at the end of wins over Philadelphia and New York, the Giants have melted down in losses to Dallas and Atlanta.
“I don’t know if catch phrases are going to work at this point,” said Eli Manning, who had a key fumble and also made some poor throws in the fourth quarter. “It’s just a matter of playing four quarters and we have; we’re not making the plays in the crucial moments.”
Jones and the Falcons are — on both sides of the ball.
Kroy Biermann had the strip-sack of Manning in the third period that set up a 91- yard drive to Leonard Hankerson’s 10-yard TD reception in the fourth quarter. Justin Durant was in on 10 tackles.
“I came around the corner and saw that he still had it,” Biermann said of Manning. “I just tried to reach out and get the ball.
“It helped us win. It helped us get good things going. We’re a ball- attacking team. We’re going after the ball every play.”
Other notables about the Falcons’ victory over the Giants:
JULIO AND TONY: Jones tied the team record for catches that tight end Tony Gonzalez set in 2012. He was thrilled.
“It feels great because my teammates needed me today for those 13 catches to pull out this win,” he said. “I was here with Tony. He was a phenomenal player, incredible person, just unbelievable all the way around.”
Jones had a big opening game, too, with nine catches for 141 yards and two TDs.
OUTDOING ODELL: Giants wideout Odell Beckham Jr., the 2014 Offensive Rookie of the Year, had a strong first half, then was shut down in the second. He had 139 of his 146 yards in the first half, including a 67-yard score in the second quarter. On his TD, Beckham sped the final 40 yards alone after bursting through a small hole between two defenders who could only flail away.
Beckham set an NFL mark with 1,495 yards in the first 14 games of a career. He had seven receptions Sunday — and it was little consolation.