The Redskins are right to fear Julio Jones and the Falcons offense this weekend. Jones has totaled 478 receiving yards and four touchdowns so far en route to NFC Offensive Player of the Month honors in September, has helped keep the Falcons undefeated through four games and has landed the top spot on Chris Wesseling's divisive top 10 wide receiver rankings.
Jones has been playing like a man not bound by the laws of physics or the constructs of reality. Maybe that's because he was not made for this world.
When asked to describe Jones, Redskins corner Will Blackmon answered, "If you create a player on Madden, that's him."
Lucky for Madden users, you don't have to create a player like Jones in the game, because there is already a player like Jones. He boasts a 92 rating, a 95 speed mark and a 98 release grade, but only a 78 awareness rating. What gives, Madden? Can a NFC Offensive Player of the Month get an upgrade over here?
Usually when you create a player on Madden, you try to manufacture some type of a cross between Deion Sanders, Frankenstein's monster and Tony Siragusa. I can personally recall creating a 7'0", 350-pound kicker named Beefcake McManningham. He had distance from 80 yards, displayed the trucking ability of a spry Mike Alstott and took the Tiburon Rams to five straight Super Bowls, but I digress.
To Blackmon's point, Jones' play so far this season rivals that of the all-time greats and has been giving defenses fits, but the Redskins' defense hasn't been anything to laugh at either. Washington is fourth in the league in yards allowed per game and is surrendering less than 20 points per game. However, the Redskins are just one of three teams to have not recorded an interception.
If Blackmon and the Washington secondary can't outmuscle Riley Cooper and Odell Beckham Jr., it's unlikely that it will be able to handle an All-Madden talent like Jones.
