J’Terius Jones, Chris Odom singled out for praise after Steelers loss

In the wake of the Falcons’ loss to the Steelers, there will be a ton of evaluation to do for the team. The third and fourth stringers were largely very mediocre, and special teams play was borderline embarrassing. That doesn’t mean there weren’t standouts, however.

Dan Quinn took the time to single out two young defensive ends, one of whom has drawn a ton of attention, and the other of whom has not been mentioned often around these parts.

Jones looked very good against the Steelers, nearly getting a sack and showing the kind of aggression and physicality Quinn loves. Odom has also looked good, albeit in more quiet fashion. Jones figures to be a better pass rusher, but Odom was a better run defender coming out of college.

The upside here is limited—you’ve got two guys likely competing for one practice squad spot, unless Quinn throws us a huge curveball and cuts a veteran defensive end for one—but the man who wins could wind up being a useful player down the line. We’ll be watching Jones and Odom in the weeks ahead to see how they fare, and whether one of them can latch on to a spot and not let go.