Tag: Deion Jones

WATCH: Deion Jones on how the Falcons can stop Russell Wilson

Deion Jones joined The Jim Rome Show to discuss the unique challenge of trying to contain a talent like Seahawks QB Russell Wilson.

The Atlanta Falcons will be tested early this season as the Seattle Seahawks come to town in Week 1. When these two teams last played in 2019, the Falcons kept things interesting without starting quarterback Matt Ryan, but the Seahawks ultimately prevailed before going on another playoff run.

The key to stopping Seattle continues to be stopping QB Russell Wilson, which hasn’t been something opposing defenses have done with any consistency since 2012.

Falcons linebacker Deion Jones is familiar with the challenge of stopping Wilson — who may be the most elusive quarterback in the pocket behind Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson. Jones joined The Jim Rome Show to discuss the unique challenge of trying to contain a talent like Wilson. Check out Rome’s interview with Jones below.

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Falcons LB Deion Jones relives game-clinching INT vs. Saints

The Falcons gave middle linebacker Deion Jones a long-term extension in 2019 because he’s a perfect fit for the modern NFL game.

The Falcons gave middle linebacker Deion Jones a long-term extension in 2019 because he’s a perfect fit for the modern NFL game.

Jones is fast, physical and exceptional in coverage. No play better showcases this than his leaping interception of Drew Brees in the red zone to seal a win over the Saints back in 2017.

Atlanta’s young play-maker recently relived the incredible game-saving pick for the team’s official website. Check out this awesome Falcons moment, as described in Jones’ own words below:

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Deion Jones named one of the NFL’s best off-ball linebackers

In Mark Schofield of Touchdown Wire’s off-ball linebacker rankings, Jones came in at No. 8.

Falcons linebacker Deion Jones has been a difference-maker since being drafted back in 2016. The former second-round pick started as a rookie on a team that went to the Super Bowl.

Since then, he’s established himself as a one of the league’s best coverage linebackers, and at 25, Jones is primed to be an integral part of Atlanta’s defense for years to come.

While Madden NFL 21 won’t acknowledge Jones as one of the NFL’s elite, the writers over at Touchdown Wire see it differently.

In Mark Schofield’s 11 best off-ball linebackers feature, Jones came in at No. 8 and was praised for his coverage ability:

You come across some amazing nuggets when researching for pieces like this one. A recent favorite of mine is that in 2019, Deion Jones saw 14 snaps in a free safety alignment.

That speaks to the myriad ways Jones can impact an opposing offense. After missing the bulk of 2018 due to injury, Jones was back on the field for the Atlanta Falcons as a true three-down linebacker this past season. Against the run he is a downhill presence, although 17 missed tackles are something to watch. He is also a very solid coverage linebacker, although he did give up four touchdowns and an NFL passer rating of 101.7 a year ago, which were both career-low numbers for him. But he does have the ability to function at a high level in underneath zones and read the quarterback.

Jones wasn’t quite his play-making self for much of 2019, but finished the season strong. He intercepted Jameis Winston’s last pass as quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and ran it back for the game-winning score in Week 17.

We shall see how Jones fares against Winston’s replacement, Tom Brady, if the 2020 season goes on as anticipated.

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WATCH: Julio Jones edges Deion Jones for Falcons play of the decade

The Atlanta Falcons recently held a vote to determine the team’s best highlight of the decade. There were some great plays to choose from, as you can see in William McFadden’s below Tweet.

The Atlanta Falcons recently held a vote to determine the team’s best highlight of the decade. There were some great plays to choose from, as you can see in the tournament bracket below, as shared by Falcons reporter William McFadden.

After the first three rounds, two of Atlanta’s best players faced off for the top spot. Linebacker Deion Jones‘ leaping interception of Drew Brees to seal a win over the Saints in 2017 was the team’s top-voted defensive play of the decade.

Watch the highlight of Jones’ clutch red-zone pick, as shared by the NFL’s Twitter account below.

Unfortunately for Deion, Julio Jones’ unbelievable catch — which arguably should have clinched a 2016 Super Bowl victory for Atlanta — came in at No. 1.

Relive Jones’ clutch grab against the Patriots below and turn it off before you remember what happens after.

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Deion Jones, Alex Mack make PFF’s all-clutch team

Falcons fans don’t need any reminder that winning a football game usually comes down to how a team plays in the final minutes. 

Falcons fans don’t need any reminder on how the difference between winning and losing a football game often comes down to how a team performs over the final minutes.

It’s the reason we obsess over game-winning drives and fourth-quarter comebacks. Playing well in clutch time is what separates the good and great players in the NFL.

Pro Football Focus came out with an all-clutch team from the 2019 season in which Ben Linsey picks a roster based on those players “who graded the best in the fourth quarter and overtime of one-score games (within eight points).”

Despite an underwhelming overall performance and 7-9 finish, Atlanta’s Deion Jones and Alex Mack made the starting lineup of PFF’s team of clutch performers. Jones was praised for his coverage ability:

If you look at the linebackers listed here, there is a pretty clear theme — these are players who make their name in coverage. Both first-team selections (Jones and Schobert) earned 90.0-plus coverage grades in the fourth quarter and overtime of one-score games, and they combined to allow one first down/touchdown on 10 targets with Jones intercepting a pass and Schobert forcing an incompletion. When the game is on the line and opposing offenses are marching, you want linebackers who can limit after-the-catch opportunities and make plays on the ball in coverage. That’s something all four of these linebackers can do.

For Mack, it’s more recognition as he’s been one of the league’s elite offensive linemen for the past decade. Here’s what PFF wrote about the All-Pro Falcons center:

Mack has been one of the best centers in the NFL for over a decade. Even on an Atlanta offensive line that was in disarray last season, he remained a constant for Matt Ryan and company. In this subset of plays, specifically, Mack allowed just one pressure on 59 pass-blocking snaps, good for a pass-blocking grade north of 80.0. Questions remain about how the young pieces like Kaleb McGary and Chris Lindstrom will progress, but Mack remains in Atlanta as an anchor that can be relied upon up front.

One of the reasons analysts have been high on Atlanta entering the previous few seasons is because the team has elite players at several key positions, including quarterback, defensive tackle and middle linebacker.

The Falcons purged their roster in an effort to free up cap space and get younger. Without a doubt, the pressure will be on in 2020 since the entire front office is potentially on the hot seat.

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Falcons’ defense ranked No. 11 by Touchdown Wire

The team’s 6-2 finish may have been too little, too late, but defensive coordinator Raheem Morris established a strong foundation that the Falcons can build on in 2020.

The Atlanta Falcons stumbled out of the gate in 2019, starting the season 1-7 and frequently trailing by insurmountable deficits at halftime. The team’s 6-2 finish may have been too little, too late, but defensive coordinator Raheem Morris established a strong foundation that the Falcons can build on in 2020.

Atlanta’s defense allowed 24.9 points and 355.8 yards per game last year, numbers that reflect an average unit. The impressive play by this group down the stretch was enough to make the top 12 of Touchdown Wire’s defensive rankings.

Check out what Doug Farrar wrote about the Falcons’ defense below:

The Falcons had as drastic a defensive turnaround as any team in the 2019 season, which occurred when now-defensive coordinator Raheem Morris took a more pronounced role. From Weeks 10-9, Atlanta gave up 24 passing touchdowns and came up with just two interceptions. From Weeks 10-17, the difference was graphic — just nine touchdowns allowed, and 10 interceptions. The team lost cornerback Desmond Trufant in free agency, but selected Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell in the first round, and Terrell is a much better player than he showed in his team’s loss in the College Football Championship. Expect this defense to play far more to its talent with Morris firmly in charge.

As Farrar pointed out, Morris has proven to be a great asset to the defense, and assuming he picks things up where he left off, Atlanta has a chance to be very good this season.

The team’s secondary is young and relatively untested. Plus, without De’Vondre Campbell, Desmond Trufant and Vic Beasley, it could take some time for this group to gel.

Some of the team’s early struggles in 2019 can be attributed to a painfully one-dimensional offense. The Falcons’ averaged 85.1 yards per game on the ground and often had to abandon the run game altogether by the second quarter.

Todd Gurley has a chance to turn that around this season. If Atlanta can get off to a better start, the team should be able to compete in a vastly-improved NFC South.

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Falcons’ Deion Jones is PFF’s No. 4 rated LB since 2017

Jones has the ideal skill-set for a modern NFL middle linebacker, and is one of the league’s best in pass coverage. He has nine career interceptions, with 32 passes defended in less than four seasons. 

Falcons linebacker Deion Jones finished strong in 2019 after the team struggled defensively during a 1-7 start to the season. His pick-six in overtime capped off a Week 17 victory over the Buccaneers, Atlanta’s sixth win over the final eight games.

Jones has the ideal skill-set for a modern NFL middle linebacker, and is one of the league’s best in pass coverage. In less than four seasons of game action, he has nine career interceptions, with 32 passes defended.

Pro Football Focus shared its top-rated linebackers since the start of the 2017 season on Twitter and Jones made the cut. He was ranked as PFF’s No. 4 linebacker over that span, with a grade of 88.3:

The other linebackers rounding out PFF’s top four include Lavonte David (91), Luke Kuechly (92.2), and Bobby Wagner (92.2). Last season, Jones recorded 110 tackles (68 solo), one interception and five passes defended.

At just 25 years old, having just signed a four-year, $57 million extension in 2019, Jones is clearly a part of Atlanta’s long-term plans.

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NFL comparisons for Ravens LB Patrick Queen

According to some draft analysts, Baltimore Ravens 2020 NFL Draft pick, LB Patrick Queen, compares to Pro Bowl players for two NFC teams.

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The Baltimore Ravens picked up their linebacker of the future, grabbing LSU’s Patrick Queen in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Queen is a rangy player that excels going sideline-to-sideline and in coverage, something the Ravens have needed out of their starting linebacker for some time. While he jumps to the front of the depth chart, that doesn’t necessarily give too much insight on what type of player Queen might become.

It’s become fashionable to compare draft prospects to players already in the NFL to get a better idea of what type of careers they could have. Though any comparison doesn’t necessarily mean a player will have the same exact career — for better or worse — it’s a good jumping off point.

For the Ravens, they’re getting a long-time starter if Queen’s comparisons turn out to be accurate.

According to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, Queen compares best to former Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis. Known for his smarts and speed, especially in coverage, Davis has been a productive linebacker in the NFL for 15 years now and as a starter for almost all of them. Over 192 career games, Davis has accounted for 1,210 combined tackles, 29 sacks, 11 fumble recoveries, 18 forced fumbles and 13 interceptions. Even at the age of 36, Thomas was a positive force in coverage with the Los Angeles Chargers, seeing an 87.9 passer rating on 66 targets.

Benjamin Solak of the Draft Network compared Queen to Deion Jones of the Atlanta Falcons. Jones is still early in his career, entering his fifth season in 2020, but the comparison is incredibly favorable. As a rookie, Jones had three interceptions and returned two for touchdowns, leading the league in pick-sixes and interception return yards. For his career, Jones has four pick-sixes on nine total interceptions, 32 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and 409 combined tackles.

If Queen can become anything like either Davis or Jones, the Ravens will be incredibly happy with their first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

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Jameis Winston becomes first QB with 30 touchdowns, 30 interceptions in same season

Jameis Winston has completed a feat that no other quarterback ever has — and it’s one that perfectly encapsulates his NFL career.

We’ll say this for Jameis Winston — throughout his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he’s been remarkably consistent. The first overall pick in the 2015 draft out of Florida State, Winston made his NFL debut against the Titans on September 13, 2015 in a 42-14 loss. Winston’s first throw of the day was an attempt to receiver Adam Humphries that was intercepted and returned for a 26-yard touchdown by Tennessee cornerback Coty Sensabaugh:

And Winston’s final throw of the 2019 season, the one that put the game away for the Falcons in a 28-22 overtime win, was a pass intended for tight end Cameron Brate that was intercepted and returned for a 27-yard touchdown by Atlanta linebacker Deion Jones:

It took Winston into overtime of the final regular-season game to do it, but with that pick, he became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw at least 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in the same season. Winston threw two touchdowns to take his season total to 31, and two interceptions to get to 30. It is perhaps the perfect encapsulation of a career that has seen equal parts amazing plays and head-banging frustration out of the same quarterback.

Winston also set the NFL’s single-season record for pick-sixes with seven, beating out Peyton Manning in 2001 and Rudy Bukich of the Bears in 1966. We’ll give Bukich extra credit for throwing six pick-sixes in a season where he attempted just 309 passes, but that’s another story.

The closest any quarterback has come to the 30/30 mark before is Lynn Dickey of the 1983 Packers, who threw 32 touchdowns and 29 picks, leading the league in both categories that season, as well as his 4,458 passing yards. Dickey threw 11 of those interceptions in the final four games of the season, so it was tough to expect more.

Winston missed out on throwing picks in just three games this season — Week 2 against the Panthers, Week 5 against the Saints, and Week 13 against the Jaguars. Winston had thrown interceptions on the Bucs’ opening drives six times this season, and five times in a seven-game stretch. The Buccaneers were 4-1 in those games, which tells you all you need to know about the feast-and-famine nature of Winston’s game. Because Winston, as flawed as he is when warming up into a game, also has an rare ability to redeem himself. In Week 14 and 15 wins over the Colts and Lions, Winston became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 450 yards in two straight games, and his touchdown-to-interception ratio was 8-4 in those games.

Perhaps Winston was made for a different era, when quarterbacks could throw interceptions with relative impunity as long as they came back to win. George Blanda of the 1962 Houston Oilers of the American Football League has the professional football record with 42 interceptions, and he did it in a 14-game season. Blanda also led his team to an 11-3 record, and an overtime loss in the league’s championship game. Blanda is in the Hall of Fame.

Where will Winston be? That’s hard to say. This marks the end of his rookie contract — yes, Winston began and ended his rookie contract with pick-sixes — and either the Buccaneers or another NFL team will have an interesting decision to make regarding his future. Winston will be just 26 years old at the start of the 2020 league year, and there’s no question about his positive potential as a quarterback. Problem is, his negative potential as a quarterback is just as obvious.

In an era where efficiency is king, there is a limited market for quarterbacks who hurl the ball all over the field, consequences be damned. The Bucs might consider franchising Winston to see if he can work the kinks out in a second season under head coach Bruce Arians, but there’s also the idea that once you’re that kind of quarterback, you tend to stay that kind of quarterback. Brett Favre, after all, has more pick-sixes than any other quarterback in NFL history with 16, and as much as any number of brilliant coaches tried to tame Favre, Favre stuck with mixing his brilliance with his ability to frustrate everybody in his general vicinity. That’s why Favre is the NFL’s all-time interception leader with 336 — and why Blanda ranks second at 277.

With just five seasons under his belt, Winston now has 88 picks, which ties him for 141st in NFL history with Jim Finks, Mark Rypien, and Michael Vick. And because Good Jameis is so intriguing, you can bet that Bad Jameis will have all kinds of opportunities to rocket up that list.