julio jones.jpg

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones runs for the end zone during an NFL game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in Atlanta.

(AP Photo)

When Julio Jones left Alabama for the NFL with a year of eligibility remaining, he held the Crimson Tide records for receptions and receiving yards in a season and receiving yards in a game.

When Amari Cooper left Alabama for the NFL with a year of eligibility remaining, he held the Crimson Tide records for receptions and receiving yards in a season and receiving yards in a game.

On Sunday, Jones and Cooper will be on opposing teams in Week 2 of the NFL's 2016 season when the Atlanta Falcons visit the Oakland Raiders.

Jones joined the Falcons as the sixth pick of the 2011 NFL Draft. Cooper joined the Raiders as the fourth pick of the 2015 NFL Draft.

"When I got to Alabama, he was like the guy," Cooper said. "I looked at a lot of his film, I studied a lot of his film and I was like, 'I want to do some of the things that he did.'"

Cooper said Jones had mentored him.

"He's given me a lot of advice over the years," Cooper said during a conference call with Atlanta media on Wednesday. "Of course, I never played with him at Alabama because he's older than I am, but he comes back often and we talk sometimes. He gives me good advice. ... When he came and watched me play when I was at Alabama, he'd give me little tips about what I should do against this coverage and this cornerback."

Last season, Jones had one of the NFL's greatest receiving seasons, with his 136 catches and 1,871 yards both the second-best in league history. The former Foley High School star earned All-Pro recognition and his third Pro Bowl invitation.

Cooper was at the Pro Bowl, too, after reaching 1,000 receiving yards as a rookie.

"I was very excited to watch him at the Pro Bowl," Cooper said. "We were on different teams, and I was watching him."

Cooper opened the 2016 season with a career-high 137 yards on six receptions in Oakland's 35-34 victory over the New Orleans Saints. Bothered by an ankle injury, Jones had four catches for 66 yards and a touchdown in the Falcons' 31-24 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

Week 2 of the NFL season kicks off on Thursday night with an AFC East matchup between the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills. CBS and NFL Network will televise the game at 7:25 CDT.

The other nationally televised games feature the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings in an NFC North rivalry at 7:30 p.m. Sunday on NBC and the Philadelphia Eagles visiting the Chicago Bears at 7:30 p.m. Monday on ESPN.

FOX affiliates in Alabama are scheduled to broadcast the New Orleans Saints-New York Giants game at noon. CBS affiliates are divided by region at noon. The southern part of the state has the Miami Dolphins-New England Patriots game, the central part gets the Cincinnati Bengals-Pittsburgh Steelers game and the northern end of the state gets the Tennessee Titans-Detroit Lions game.

CBS has the second game on Sunday, with Alabama affiliates broadcasting the Atlanta-Oakland game.

The Alabama Roots Game of the Week is the Baltimore Ravens-Cleveland Browns AFC North contest. The teams have 11 players from state high schools and colleges on their rosters, even though only one - Baltimore linebacker C.J. Mosley - played at Alabama. There are five former Auburn players - Shon Coleman, Corey Lemonier, Ricardo Louis, Jerraud Powers and Gabe Wright - along with Alabama State's Isaiah Crowell and four prep stars who played out-of-state collegiately - Michael Johnson, Michael Pierce, Za'Darius Smith and Lardarius Webb.

The complete Week 2 schedule (with all times central and with point spreads from vegasinsider.com):

Thursday

New York Jets (-1) at Buffalo Bills, 7:25 p.m. (CBS, NFL Network)

Sunday

San Francisco 49ers at Carolina Panthers (-13.5), noon

Baltimore Ravens (-6.5) at Cleveland Browns, noon

Tennessee Titans at Detroit Lions (-6), noon

Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans (-2.5), noon

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots (-6.5), noon

New Orleans Saints at New York Giants (-4.5), noon

Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers (-3.5), noon

Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins (-3), noon

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Arizona Cardinals (-6.5), 3:05 p.m.

Seattle Seahawks (-3.5) at Los Angeles Rams, 3:05 p.m.

Indianapolis Colts at Denver Broncos (-6), 3:25 p.m.

Atlanta Falcons at Oakland Raiders (-5), 3:25 p.m.

Jacksonville Jaguars at San Diego Chargers (-3), 3:25 p.m.

Green Bay Packers (-2.5) at Minnesota Vikings, 7:30 p.m. (NBC)

Monday