The 0-2 Atlanta Falcons will take on the 2-0 Chicago Bears without star receiver Julio Jones.
The wideout is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 3 game due to a hamstring injury.
Jones missed practice all week after dealing with the hamstring issue. He caught just two passes for 24 yards in the Falcons' epic collapse in Dallas last week.
The Falcons wanted to give the wideout up to game time to see if he could give it a go. In the end, Jones wasn't able to play. The hope is that the hamstring injury won't keep the perennial Pro Bowler out multiple weeks.
Jones has played through similar soft-tissue injuries in the past. Sunday will mark just the second game the 31-year-old has missed the past four seasons despite often being dinged up.
The news is a blow to a Falcons team that desperately needs a victory to avoid the first 0-3 start in Matt Ryan's tenure. Sans Julio, Calvin Ridley, who has proven he has staying power as a No. 1 receiver, should see even more targets against a good Bears secondary. Russell Gage is also expected to see an uptick in snaps and balls his way Sunday afternoon.
The Falcons also ruled out CB Kendall Sheffield, S Ricardo Allen, LB Foye Oluokun, T Kaleb McGary, DT Deadrin Senat, and DE Takkarist McKinley.
