If the Atlanta Falcons are going to hold off the surging Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the NFC South, they will have to do it with a hobbled Julio Jones.
Coach Dan Quinn revealed Monday that a turf-toe injury sidelined the All Pro wide receiver in the final moments of Sunday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Although turf toes tend to linger, Quinn explained that the Falcons don't view this one as a long-term issue.
Jones was even more dismissive of the injury after Sunday's game.
"It's football," Jones said, via ESPN.com. "You're going to get banged up. You're going to get little nagging injuries here and there from the game. I'm OK. I'll be good to go."
Jones' isn't the only injured starter in Atlanta. Left tackle Jake Matthews (knee sprain) and No. 2 receiver Mohamed Sanu (groin) will both be held out of Wednesday's practice. Quinn plans to gauge the progress of both players on Thursday, per NFL Network's Tiffany Blackmon.
The battle-tested Falcons are better than their 7-5 record, losing hard-fought games by one, two and three points since Week 6. Although Atlanta has an edge in offense and schedule strength over the final four games, Tampa Bay is gaining momentum with a healthier roster and a suddenly swarming defense.
This will be an interesting race to watch over the season's final month.
