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Rookie cornerback Marshon Lattimore has been a breakout sensation for the New Orleans Saints this season -- and one of the biggest reasons why they are 9-3 and have turned around their embattled defense.

Atlanta Falcons receiver Julio Jones, meanwhile, has been a sensation for seven years running.



Hopefully for the Saints' sake -- and for us viewers watching Thursday night's NFC South showdown in Atlanta -- Lattimore will be able to return from an ankle injury in time for one of the most anticipated one-on-one matchups of New Orleans' season.

Lattimore has missed nearly three full games since suffering the injury in the first quarter in Week 11. But he practiced on a limited basis on Tuesday and appears to have a good chance of playing against the Falcons. The Saints thought he had a shot at playing this past Sunday, before a pregame test didn't go as well as hoped.

If the 6-foot, 192-pounder is close to full strength, we could see him shadowing the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Jones, who has a ridiculous amount of speed and burst for his size.

"I think he's right at the top," Saints coach Sean Payton said of Jones. "I heard someone debating between he and [Antonio] Brown at Pittsburgh. They're two different type players. [Jones is] outstanding. His strength, his explosion, his catch radius. I've said this before, when you’re sitting down on the sidelines and all of a sudden he splits out to your sideline and you look at him, it's amazing at how quickly he moves."

When asked if Jones' name would rank among the greatest pass-catchers he has ever seen, Payton said, "It's on the reel."

"I don’t know how long the reel is, but it's on it," Payton explained.

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