The last time Julio Jones faced the Green Bay Packers, in 2014, he set an Atlanta Falcons record with 259 receiving yards. He's already broken that mark this year with his 300-yard performance in Week 4.
The NFL's leading receiver (830 yards) faces an injured Packers secondary Sunday afternoon in Atlanta. Green Bay is seeking some divine intervention to slow down Jones.
"The week of (the game), every night before you go to bed, you've got to pray," defensive back Micah Hyde said, via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Game day, you've got to wake up, you've got to pray. He's just one of those guys that can get it done in all aspects of the game.
"Honestly, there's nothing he can't do. There's guys that come along every now and then, you've got your Calvin Johnson-type guys, and he's one of them. He's the best in the game right now."
Jones' stats have been eye-popping to start the season. He has 100-plus receiving yards in four of his last six games (including the last two). Jones has 16 receptions of 20-plus yards this season (most in NFL). He has more receiving yards than Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb combined (709).
Jones is on pace for 1,897 receiving yards this season, just shy of Calvin Johnson's single-season record of 1,964. With 170 receiving yards versus Green Bay, he would be the first player with 1,000-plus receiving yards through 8 games since 1961 (Charley Hennigan: 1,122 receiving yards).
Oh, and he's putting up these ridiculous-pace numbers with outings of 16 yards and 29 yards thrown in (both Falcons wins).
The Packers' defense has allowed 101.0 receiving yards per game to opponent's No. 1 wide receivers this season (31st in NFL). Even healthy, Green Bay's secondary would need help from the big man upstairs. They won't be healthy. Sam Shields is on IR, Damarious Randall underwent groin surgery, and Quinten Rollins is also expected to be out with a groin injury.
#Prayers