NFL1000 Scouting Notebook: Chris Jones Becoming X-Factor for Chiefs Defense

Welcome to Bleacher Report's NFL1000 Scouting Notebook, a weekly series where we'll use the power of the 16-man NFL1000 scouting department to bring you fresh insights into the league and explain some of the more interesting (and potentially controversial) grades we give players every week.  

The full list of NFL1000 grades will be released Thursday, and we will attempt to preview some of what we are seeing in our film analysis here. 

We will look at Jordy Nelson's big day with the Vikings cornerbacks going rogue, dive into Adam Thielen's huge game and answer a few questions on this week's hot topics. But first, let's start out with some film analysis of Chiefs breakout rookie defensive end Chris Jones. 

Chiefs Defensive End Chris Jones Enjoying Breakout Rookie Season

Written by Joe Goodberry

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Chris Jones was a prospect many liked during the draft process, and the Chiefs grabbed him in the second round despite having quality veteran starters on the defensive line. After Allen Bailey and Jaye Howard got injured, Kansas City went to Jones more, and it has paid off.

Known for a good first step in college, Jones has displayed that in his rookie year and has become one of the best interior rushers in the NFL over the second half of the season. For an example of the type of quick pressure Jones applies in his get-off, take a look at the play above from Week 13 in Atlanta. Jones is the first Chiefs defender moving, and he splits between two Falcons linemen before they're even out of their stance. Matt Ryan has to hurry his throw because of Jones. 

But it's not just his quickness. Jones is displaying better hand usage than expected and has taken many good NFL linemen to school. On this play, Jones beats one of the best guards in the league in Trai Turner with a crisp swim move after leaning into the offensive guard. With his weight forward, Turner left himself open to the swim move. This is a high-level play.

It's not just as a pass-rusher, as he's flashed better against the run of late. Take this play against Denver in Week 12 as an example. Jones fires off the snap and benches the Broncos right guard with a full extension and then discards the lineman before making the tackle behind the line.

With the talent around Jones on this Kansas City defense, offenses can't focus on him, and I fully expect him to continue to destroy plays in the playoffs. He's developing at a rapid pace. Keep an eye on him.

Jordy Nelson Has Huge Week Behind Disastrous Vikings Defensive Strategy

Written by Ian Wharton

Matt Ludtke/Associated Press

In one of the more bizarre and unexpected stories to emerge this season regarding on-field events, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Minnesota Vikings cornerbacks went rogue on the first series of the game this past week against the Green Bay Packers in an effort to stop wide receiver Jordy Nelson. In Schefter’s original story, his source cites the Vikings had planned to ditch their usual strategy of keeping Terence Newman as the left cornerback and Xavier Rhodes opposite of him in favor of shadowing Nelson with Rhodes.

The result of having Terence Newman cover Jordy Nelson, planned or not, was disastrous, as the Packers avoided the Rhodes-Nelson matchup at will. Nelson was targeted three times in the slot against zone defense, once against Newman playing man, and another against Newman in zone as well.

By the time the Vikings corners finally made an adjustment, the bulk of Nelson’s damage had been done. The Packers manufactured four snaps for Nelson against the combination of Newman, Trae Waynes and Captain Munnerlyn and three more against zone with no apparent coverage over top at the line of scrimmage. If that was a direct result of the corners going rogue, it was a terrible choice.

The point of Zimmer’s game plan to guard Nelson with Rhodes was to force Aaron Rodgers to do more work pre-snap than what the alternative was. Rhodes is the only cornerback on the Vikings capable to withstand Nelson’s talent. When Rodgers saw Munnerlyn, Waynes or Newman facing Nelson, the Vikings were giving him an easy starting point to read that matchup. As seen above, Nelson made the most of it.

The second half was a different story, in part due to the Packers being up two scores for much of it, but also because Rodgers had a more difficult task than the first half.  

Scouting with Schofield: Adam Thielen

Written by Mark Schofield

Thanks to the late season emergence in 2015 of Stefon Diggs, the development of Charles D. Johnson and the selection of Laquon Treadwell in the first round of last spring’s draft, Adam Thielen was considered primarily a third or fourth option for the Vikings in their passing game. But slow starts from Johnson and Treadwell came at the right time for the third-year receiver out of Division II program Minnesota State. Thielen’s been entrenched as a starter since Week 1 of this season, and thanks to his big game against the Green Bay Packers, he is just 40 yards shy of 1,000 yards receiving on the year. Thielen had a huge day against a division rival, catching 12 passes for 202 yards and two touchdowns.

Thielen might be typecast by some as a pure slot receiver, but his size, play strength and tape can quickly dissuade you from that position. With the help of NFC wide receiver and tight end expert Marcus Mosher, we’ve put together a few of his plays from Saturday to illustrate what Thielen brings to an offense. Here we’ll see the importance of play strength as a WR, the benefit of proper splits, how to best set up a route using your lower body and hand strength at the catch point. Thielen’s big game against Green Bay shows a little bit of everything.

Ask the Scouts

Question: Aaron Rodgers notched the highest NFL1000 score of the season this week with a 96/100 after his dismantling of the Vikings defense by throwing for 347 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions. What stood out to you in this performance relative to others this season? Was this the most impressive performance of the year to you?

Answer from Cian Fahey, QB Scout: Rodgers had a phenomenal game against the Chicago Bears the week previous to this display against the Minnesota Vikings. The key differences were that Rodgers avoided the one major error he had in Chicago and created more big plays with his unnatural arm talent and accuracy. Even with his receivers dropping many good passes, most notable a Davante Adams touchdown reception after Rodgers extended the play into the flat, he still put up huge numbers.

This was easily the best quarterback performance of the year. It wasn't a question of finding ways to prop up the ranking; it was a question of finding ways to dock points to get away from a perfect 100.

Question: Clay Matthews was the top linebacker this week with a score of 80/100. It's one of the few games we've seen this year where Matthews has looked like his former Pro Bowl self. Does he look 100 percent to you? And do you think he could be an X-factor for Green Bay if it makes the playoffs?

Answer from Zach Kruse, OLB Scout: I'm not sure Matthews is 100 percent healthy, but who is this time of year? The important thing is that his shoulder is clearly getting better and stronger every week. Matthews was basically playing (and oftentimes struggling) with one arm for about a month, but the injury no longer appeared to be an issue as he terrorized the Vikings for a huge strip-sack (that eventually led to a game-changing Packers touchdown), a pair of quarterback hits and two batted passes Saturday, per Pro Football Focus.

Can Matthews be an X-factor in the playoffs? I think so, and the Packers need him to be. Green Bay just isn't good enough at inside linebacker or cornerback to consistently win on defense. But what the Packers do have is an abundance of pass-rushers, and when the pass rush is consistently strong, the Packers are capable of creating enough stops and turnovers to mask some of their other issues. 

If the Packers make the postseason, Matthews will be vital to a run at the Super Bowl. Aaron Rodgers and the offense is clicking, but it takes both sides of the ball to make a serious title run. Matthews has the experience and ability to be the playmaker required for the Packers defense.