ATLANTA – Drafted sixth overall in 2011, Julio Jones is consistently the receiver I point to when the conversation turns to premium draft picks and the position.
He’s an unreasonable standard, sure. But you use a top 10 pick on a position you shoot for the gold standard, and he’s it. For five healthy seasons from 2014-2018 he averaged 105 catches for 1,598 yards and six TDs.
For the Tennessee Titans, a virtual wide-receiver black hole for their entire existence, those number are unimaginable. (Last year, six wideouts combined for 150 catches, 1,867 yards and six TDs; six guys combined had just 45 more catches for 269 more yards and the same number of touchdowns as Jones’ five-season average.)
We do not know if the Titans truly want to emerge as a substantial passing offense, but Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium they did so, executing a near-perfect formula in a faith restoring, record-evening 24-10 win.
And after a sometimes-miserable first quarter of the season, they sit tied at the top of the AFC South at 2-2, though their 0-2 AFC South record is still a killer.
