The 2016 Atlanta Falcons may have been the perfect embodiment of a Kyle Shanahan offense. The group may be remembered for their 28-3 Super Bowl collapse, but they only got there through scoring an NFL record 540 points that season on their way to an 11-5 record and NFC Championship.
The team saw pinpoint accuracy from 2016 NFL MVP Matt Ryan. They featured running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman in the passing game to a tune of over 100 targets. Shanahan’s unit led the league on use of play action with 27.6% of their plays and the Falcons were top-5 in both passing and rushing yards in what was a preview of the dominant offenses he’d go on to form as the San Francisco 49ers coach.
Atlanta also featured, and was largely built around, the presence of All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones. Jones had 83 receptions for 1,409 yards during the Super Bowl season and had 136 receptions for 1,871 yards during Shanahan’s first year in 2015.
Interesting how Nico Collins mentioned that Bobby Slowik has him watching Julio Jones clips from Atlanta as a similar receiver-style comparison for the scheme.
Under Kyle Shanahan, Jones had 129 targets with 83 receptions for 1409 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2016. #WeAreTexans
— John Crumpler (@JohnHCrumpler) June 11, 2023
The Houston Texans are running a variation of the Shanahan scheme with new offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, who was the 49ers’ passing game coordinator last year. Collins provided a similar receiver comparison in the scheme.
“Yeah, Julio. Julio Jones,” Collins told reporters June 6 after organized team activities. “Coach [Slowik], he pulled clips from Atlanta and watched Julio run it. San Fran’s concepts, same offense, you know. Just watching guys run that route. It’s slot-work. So, for me, it’s get better in the slot. Add that to your bag, you know? Nothing to it. Just a route.”
Jones is a lofty comparison for any young receiver. However, his answer to this is certainly an interesting one as fans speculate where Collins fits into the west coast style offense. They’re two of the most hyper athletic wideouts that will have been asked to function in a Shanahan-type scheme to date. Their height alone places them away from comparisons such as Jaylen Waddle, Tyreek Hill, Brandon Aiyuk, and Deebo Samuel who have thrived in the offense all at 6-0 and under.
The Relative Athletic Scores for Nico Collins & Julio Jones, who Collins says he's been studying this off-season:
"Coach Slowik, he pulled clips from Atlanta and watched Julio run it. San Fran’s concepts, same offense, you know. Just watching guys run that route."#WeAreTexans pic.twitter.com/wxZnXtFVtU
— John Crumpler (@JohnHCrumpler) June 11, 2023
Jones yard/reception and yards/target totals during the 2016 campaign were some of his best ever and it could signal a potential role for Collins as the perimeter receiver in the offense. He’s one of the fastest receivers currently on the roster and has a size/strength combination that should allow him to win physically against boundary corners. Collins may be one of the team’s best bets to win in the intermediate to deep range amongst a cast of smaller wideouts.
Another interesting component would be that Collins’ specified Jones ability to shift towards the slot. Jones was top-5 in DYAR during 2016 from both the slot and the perimeter per Football Outsiders and, despite his size, took over 50% of his snaps from that position.
Houston is currently loaded at the stock position with rookie Tank Dell and second-year wideout John Metchie largely considered “slot only” players in conjunction with Robert Woods’ dominance at the position. Collins could create matchup nightmares should he develop the route running to shift inside on occasion, but it would require creativity from Slowik to create with others on the perimeter.
Taylor Gabriel was the most efficient slot receiver in 2016, followed closely by #Falcons teammate, Julio Jones pic.twitter.com/bl6RfsoAOE
— SIS (@SportsInfo_SIS) May 4, 2017
It will be very difficult for Collins to replicate Jones’ dominance, regardless of where he lines up on the field. It is encouraging that he’s studying a similar athletic comparison entering the new scheme. To date, the former 2021 third-rounder has only 70 receptions for 927 yards and three touchdowns through his first two seasons. It’s more than a stone’s throw from Jones early career path that led him to be the fastest player in NFL history to reach 10,000 receiving yards.
Fans will have to wait and see how Slowik optimizes both Collins and the rest of the receiving staff this season. Their individual growth could play huge dividends for the success of rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud.
