Falcons' Jones named NFC Offensive Player of the Week

FLOWERY BRANCH — Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones has been named NFC Offensive Player of the week for his performance in Week 16.  
 
Jones caught nine passes for 178 yards with one touchdown in the Falcons 20-13 win over the previously unbeaten Carolina Panthers. He sparked the Falcons victory with a stunning 70-yard touchdown reception, his eighth of the season, and notched his eighth 100-yard game of the year. Jones averaged 19.8 yards per reception, which is the fourth highest per catch average of any player with at least nine catches in a single game this season. Additionally, Jones 178 receiving yards tied Martavis Bryant for the ninth-highest single game output this season. He is the only player in the NFL to post four games with 160-or-more receiving yards this year.
 
Jones has 127 catches and 1,722 receiving yards this season, both franchise records, and is only the second player in NFL history with at least 125 catches and 1,700 receiving yards in a season, joining Marvin Harrison.
 
This is Jones’ second time winning NFC Offensive Player of the Week this season. He is the first wide receiver to win multiple Offensive Player of the Week Awards in a season since Randy Moss in 2007. Jones won his first NFC Offensive Player of the Week award for his performance on Monday Night Football in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles when he caught nine passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns. He’s also won NFC Offensive Rookie of the month for December/January in 2011. He recently won NFC Offensive Player of the Month for the month of September earlier this season. Earlier this month, Jones was named to his third Pro Bowl.