Tennessee Titans wide receiver Julio Jones made his return in Week 14 after missing the previous three games with a hamstring injury. Most importantly, Jones came out of the game unscathed, as he revealed following the win.
However, the veteran didn’t play a full complement of snaps. Instead, he was on the field for 32 plays, finishing with four catches for 33 yards. His snap count was the third-highest among wide receivers.
On Tuesday, Titans wide receivers coach Rob Moore stated that Jones would continue to see limited work as the team builds him up to a full complement of snaps, according to David Boclair of Sports Illustrated.
“He felt great after the game, and we’ll just continue to build on that,” Moore said. “The plan is for him to get more and more work each week until we can get to a point where we can get through a whole game.”
Moore says the Titans are focusing on the big picture with Jones, which is why they don’t want to push him too much too quickly. The approach is understandable given Jones consistent injury issues this season.
“Anytime you’re in this situation, we kind of have a big-picture mentality,” Moore said. “We know that – going forward – it’s in our best interests to make sure we don’t push the envelope too much because at the end of the day it’s about getting (Jones) through the remainder of the season and – hopefully – into the postseason.”
Jones’ first campaign with the Titans has no doubt been a disappointment, but all that will be forgotten if he can help Tennessee make a run in the postseason.
The Titans continue their push to the playoffs in Week 15 when they travel to Heinz Field to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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