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Julio Jones and the Tennessee Titans are riding a huge wave of momentum. Fresh off their domination over the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes, the franchise is currently in first place in the AFC South.
Next up for the Titans are division rivals, the Indianapolis Colts, and Carson Wentz, who occupies second spot in the division. There is a lot riding on this game and it could have playoff implications.
However, one player who Ryan Tannehill will not be able to call on is wide receiver Julio Jones.
Julio Jones dealing with hamstring issue
The former Pro Bowl receiver did not practice all week. On Friday, he was officially ruled out. Given the fickle nature of hamstring injuries, the Titans may just be erring on the side of caution with the veteran.
With the LA Rams and the New Orleans Saints up next, perhaps the Titans feel they can get by without Jones in the lineup. Last week against the Chiefs, Jones was something of a non-factor with only two catches for 38 yards in the blowout win.
Jones has already missed two games this season through injury and with his latest hamstring, hopefully this season doesn't become derailed by injuries. So far this season, Jones has caught just 17 passes, going for 301 yards. He is yet to catch a touchdown.
That is partly due to the fact that the Titans are not reliant on the passing game, instead most of the team's power and gameplan revolves around running back Derrick Henry.
In Atlanta, Jones was a difference maker. Between 2014 and 2019, Jones had over 1,000-yard receiving seasons for six straight years, with his best coming in 2015 where he had 1,871 yards and eight touchdowns, per Pro Football Reference.
Last year, Jones played only nine games for a total of 771 receiving yards and three touchdowns. This season is following a similar pattern and there has to be a cause for concern for both Jones and the Titans.
While he can still show flashes of brilliance and usually gets the opposition's best corner, the injuries seem to be catching up with him in Tennessee. While it remains to be seen as to how long Jones will be out for, he still has a part to play in the Titans' playoff push in 2021.
