For Raiders’ Chandler Jones, Cardinals matchup is different

As much as Chandler Jones tries to approach Sunday as just another game, a part of him completely understands the impossibility of that.

The Raiders’ veteran outside linebacker arrived in Las Vegas last March as a free agent by way of Arizona, where he spent the last six years with the Cardinals. In that time, Jones had 71.5 sacks and was one of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL.

More than that, he was a beacon of light in the Cardinals’ locker room and a player young teammates revered.

“One of the best teammates I’ve ever had the pleasure to play with” is how Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray described Jones.

Added Arizona coach Kliff Kingsbury: “He’s somebody I have a great appreciation for because coming in from the college ranks, he always embraced me and being a team leader that meant a lot to me. … We have a ton of respect for him.”

It’s heady stuff to be sure. But Jones is trying his best not to let emotion impact his preparation.

But no matter how much he downplays the matchup against his former team, even he catches himself getting caught up in the moment every so often.

Like earlier this week when Raiders coaches were going over the game plan for the Cardinals during a team meeting. As Jones listened in, it all of a sudden hit him how many familiar names were being bandied about.

It eventually hit him it that it wasn’t just any old opponents his coaches were scrutinizing and game-planning for, it was some of his very best friends.

It was an odd situation to be sure.

“It was a little weird going through the scouting report and just looking at some of the guys and hearing their names,” Jones said. “Those are some of the guys I used to run around with.”

Jones, perhaps caught up in the moment, even texted Kingsbury to say hello.To which Kingsbury texted back: ‘Don’t hold it against me when we chip you and edge you with the tight end and the back every single play.’”

It was all in fun. But there was some truth involved too, especially since the Cardinals will have to deal with with Jones and Maxx Crosby.

“We’re going to try to handle him,” Kingsbury said. “But they’ve got two hall of fame rushers and we understand that, so we’ve got to` have a good plan.”

That said, Jones is doing his best to separate the emotions involved with the task at hand. That’s important this week in particular with the Raiders coming off a season-opening loss to the Chargers and needing a win to get back on the right track.

“It’ll be fun. I get a chance to play against my old team,” Jones said. “But it’s going into week two and hopefully we can get in the win column.”

Adding one more element is how Jones now has to prepare to deal with Murray, a unique quarterback who has the ability to beat teams with his arm and legs.

The challenge in preparing for Murray is no one has anyone on their roster who comes close to replicating him. So getting a comp look at him in practice is impossible.

“He does things that are uncommon,” Jones said. “He has a strong arm and he’s very fast. But hopefully we can get after him.”

Conversely, the Cardinals now find themselves having to prepare for someone they know so well. That includes understanding all the problems he poses.

“He’s a student of the game. He loves it,” Murray said. “He’s like a Zen master when it comes to the art of pass rushing and all the different ways to get to the quarterback. … You have to respect that.”

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on Twitter.