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SAN DIEGO -- Casey Hayward makes Atlanta his home during the offseason, and he will play in his hometown for the first time as a pro when the San Diego Chargers hit the road to take on the Atlanta Falcons. Hayward grew up in the small town of Perry, Georgia -- about 100 miles south of Atlanta -- and said he expects about 80 family and friends to attend the game on Sunday. With Jason Verrett done for the season after having surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee this week, Hayward has taken over as the team’s top corner. Hayward has proven to be a valuable addition for the Chargers in free agency. Signed to a three-year, $15.3 million deal this offseason, Hayward leads the team in interceptions (3) and pass deflections (7). “It’s just being me,” Hayward said. “I’ve been a successful player and played at a high level since I’ve been in the league. And I’m going to continue to play at a high level. It’s just me studying and staying healthy. I think that’s the main thing. If you can stay on the field, you’ll be able to make plays, no matter who you are -- stay on that field and stay out of that training room.” Hayward will have his hands full trying to keep up with Atlanta receiver Julio Jones, tops in the NFL in receiving yards (656). At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Jones presents a challenge because of the speed and quickness for a player his size. The last time Hayward faced Jones while with the Green Bay Packers in 2014, Jones finished with 11 receptions for 259 yards and a touchdown. “I’m not sure what to do,” Hayward said. “Some people put two people on him, sometimes they triple him, and he still catches the ball. You just have to try and mix it up. You can’t press him the whole game, or play off him the whole game. You can’t single him the whole game or play zone because he has a quarterback [who] can make all of the throws. “So just when you get a chance to make a play, make a play because we know he’s going to make some plays. That’s just the nature of the game of him being the great player that he is.” Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano said his defense might need some help from the man upstairs. “I’m heading to church right after this,” Pagano told reporters this week. “To be able to stop Julio, we’re going to have to do some serious praying.” Jokes aside, the Chargers have had success against big receivers in the past. San Diego’s defense held Demaryius Thomas to five receptions for 35 yards last week, but that was with Trevor Siemian playing quarterback, not the league’s top passer in Atlanta’s Matt Ryan. The last time San Diego played Atlanta in 2012, Jones finished with just five receptions for 67 yards and a score, although the Chargers lost 27-3. Pagano’s defense likely will use multiple looks pre-snap, playing a mixture of man and zone coverage with the hope that it can get pressure on Ryan to try and slow down a talented receiver like Jones. “You’ve got to be able to do those things,” Pagano said. “You’ve got to be able to make them think it’s something else and bait him in -- but he’s a smart quarterback, so you’ve got to take that to the next level. “I like how we do things by disguising and moving around. It’s something that we don’t just say, ‘Hey, let’s do it this week.’ It’s something that we always emphasize, so that’s a big part, pre-snap before the ball is hiked we’ve got to be able to do those things.”
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