FLOWERY BRANCH — Falcons right guard Chris Lindstrom is looking forward to his battles with Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones.
Lindstrom, center Drew Dalman and left guard Matthew Bergeron will be on the hot seat when the Falcons face the Chiefs at 8:20 p.m. Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“Chris is probably the best defensive tackle in the NFL,” Lindstrom said. “He’s one of the best rushers in the NFL regardless of position. It’s a huge challenge, and I have a ton of respect for him.”
Jones, who’s 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds, played at Mississippi State.
“He’s a phenomenal player,” said Lindstrom, who has been named second-team All-Pro in each of the past two seasons. Jones has been named first-team All-Pro the past two seasons and second-team All-Pro in the previous three seasons.
Jones has 76.5 career sacks.
“He’s been a great player for a long time – doesn’t look any different from what I remember watching him five years ago,” Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said. “So, no decline there. He’s incredibly disruptive in all facets of the game, run and pass game.”
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo likes to move Jones around the line and sometimes will line him up at defensive end.
“So, we’ve got to be aware of where he’s at,” Robinson said. “We’ve got to get hands on him. It’ll be a great challenge for our guys.”
