FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. - In a few minutes Julio Jones would have to begin discussing his day job, the one that pays him more than $14 million a year to catch passes for the Atlanta Falcons.
But first he had to field questions about his alma mater, the one from Alabama that answers to the Crimson Tide and is about to face Georgia in college football's national championship game on Monday night inside Atlanta's Mercedes Benz Stadium.
"I was cheering for Georgia (against Oklahoma)," Jones said Wednesday afternoon in front of his locker at the Falcons' training facility north of the Big Peach. "But I can't cheer for them on Monday. I'll pick Alabama 24-17. They've just been in this kind of fight too many times."
In case you're interested, Jones previously picked Bama to beat Clemson by a 24-14 score. The Tide whipped the Tigers 24-6 in the Sugar Bowl, but only after a last-minute defensive stand in the shadow of the goal line.
Of course, in the interest of fair play, former Georgia standout and Falcons practice squad player Reggie Davis was asked if he might wager a side bet or two with Jones.
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Reggie Davis (1) warms-up before an NFL preseason football game against the Miami Dolphins, Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017 in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)"No side bets," replied Davis.
A prediction, perhaps?
"No predictions," he said before disappearing from the media.
As for the real reason Jones and Davis and the rest of the Falcons were still practicing some three days after the conclusion of the regular season, none of them seemed too interested in predicting the outcome of Saturday night's first-round NFL playoff game against the Rams in Los Angeles.
Regarding 30-year-old Rams coach Sean McVay - who was once a quarterback at Atlanta's Marist School and has directed one of the biggest, most surprising turnarounds in NFL history - Atlanta coach Dan Quinn said, "From the first conversation we had (when McVay got the job), there was a real clear identity of how he wanted to do things."
He also said of McVay's development of Rams quarterback Jared Goff: "He's a prime example of a quarterback to learn from."
What the Falcons have learned about finishing what they start in the postseason is what's on the mind of every Atlanta fan throughout the Southeast. The pain of that 28-3, second-half Super Bowl lead over New England last winter that became a 34-28 overtime loss won't be eased or erased until or unless the Falcons can eventually win it all for the first time in franchise history.
And unlike last year, when everyone viewed Atlanta as the hottest NFC team entering the playoffs, the Rams arguably have that look this season, going from a 4-12 record in 2016 to 11-5 and champions of the NFC West this time around.
Not that Jones or Atlanta defensive back Brian Poole feels that way regarding both the opponent and the location, given that the Falcons were 5-3 on the road this season against one of the league's five toughest schedules.
"Anywhere, any place, anytime," Jones said. "That's our mentality. Just keep it simple. Trust the process. Just do what we do."
Said Poole, the Florida product who's helped the Falcons become one of the NFL's 10 best defenses this season: "I wouldn't say we've arrived. But we've gotten better every year. We've got a brotherhood thing around here. It's real. We really care about each other and I think that shows on the field."
Quinn concurred, noting, "The communication piece has really picked up on the defensive side of the ball this year. You could feel it improving as we went through last year. It's even more obvious this year, and I still think this group can take another step up."
Even Falcons placekicker Matt Bryant, long one of the team's unsung heroes, got a bit of personal recognition when he was named the league's special teams player of the week for the five field goals he kicked in Sunday's 22-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers, including a 56-yarder that pushed Atlanta's lead to 19-10.
"Our grumpy old man even smiled when we announced his award to the team," Quinn said.
So maybe it's all finally clicking again at the most crucial of times, the Falcons once more feeling good about themselves now that they're but three tough wins away from becoming the first team since the 1992 Buffalo Bills from returning to the Super Bowl after losing the previous season.
Or maybe at least one Falcon seems determined to keep up his crabby image until the team does more than return to his sport's biggest stage.
"I'll smile more when we win the Super Bowl," said Bryant.
Just don't be surprised if the biggest smile on the face of any Falcon over the next few days - regardless of what transpires in LA - is reserved for either Jones or Davis following Monday night's CFP national championship game.
Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com.