Julio Jones was back at it Wednesday, talking about Richard Sherman, but the Falcons’ All-Pro wide receiver sure doesn’t seem to be dwelling on the late no-call involving the Seahawks’ four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Oct. 16 in Seattle.
They’ll meet again Saturday in the Georgia Dome in a divisional playoff game.
“For me, I’m just getting ready like any other week,” said Jones, who had seven catches for 139 yards and a touchdown when these teams last met against a variety of defenders, including Sherman.
“I don’t have any grudges against Sherman or nothing like that. I’m here to play ball. What happened then was then; this is now.”
Falcons fans haven’t forgotten.
Trailing 26-24 late, Matt Ryan threw deep on fourth down, and the ball fell incomplete near Jones, who stretched out his left hand to try to catch the ball as his right arm was pinned by Sherman.
Falcons coach Dan Quinn and the sideline howled, seeking a pass-interference call that would have left the Falcons in range for Matt Bryant to attempt a potential game-winning field goal.
The Falcons’ last possession was over. Seattle won. The Falcons lost.
Jones downplayed that play and game Wednesday.
He has no plans to grease game officials Saturday, or do anything differently.
“It’s not a big game for us. It’s like any other game,” he said. “We’re just doing what we do. No pressure for us, … We just landed them in the playoffs. It’s another game for me. It’s not I want revenge or anything like that. They’re in the way. …
“I’m not talking to refs at all or anything like that. I’m here to play football. I ain’t here to talk to refs about this and that. That’s their job. They call what they call. If they see it, they call it. If they don’t, they don’t.”
Jones said, “It’s going to be fun, just the matchup going up against each other.”
He also said, “I feel great.”
Quinn seems to agree.
His star wide receiver pulled in 83 receptions for 1,409 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games, missing the 13th and 14th games with a sprained toe. Last week’s bye, a reward for the Falcons finishing with the second-best record in the NFC, benefitted Jones.
“He definitely did,” Quinn said. “There were certain guys that I was watching more closely just to see the speed that we were practicing at yesterday. I was definitely pleased with that.”
