Packers OLB Clay Matthews Is Playing ILB Better Than Most of League's ILBs

There are players in the NFL who have been playing at the inside linebacker position since high school or college. They were scouted at that position, drafted to play that position and are starting at that position in the league currently. 

Then there's Clay Matthews of the Green Bay Packers. Matthews was drafted out of USC to play outside linebacker in Green Bay's 3-4 scheme, but he's currently playing inside. 

And he's performing better there than nearly every true inside linebacker in the NFL.

After three games, Matthews is ranked as the No. 2 inside linebacker in the league by Pro Football Focus, behind only David Harris of the New York Jets. That's higher than Houston's Brian Cushing, Cleveland's Karlos Dansby and Philadelphia's Mychal Kendricks.  

Matthews moved inside midway through the 2014 season to help strengthen the Packers run defense, which at that time ranked dead-last in the league, allowing 153.5 yards per game.

In the eight games following Matthews' change of position, the Packers run defense improved to No. 6 in the league, per Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times, allowing just 86.4 rushing yards on the ground per game.

With starting inside linebacker Sam Barrington on injured reserve for the 2015 season, Matthews has remained inside for the most part, joined in the base defense by Nate Palmer.

And he's continuing to help improve Green Bay's run defense. Though the Packers allowed 189 rushing yards to the Bears in Week 1, they improved to 119 yards against the Seahawks in Week 2 and just 75 yards against the Chiefs this week. 

That's after facing Matt Forte, Marshawn Lynch and Jamaal Charles. 

Though occasionally given the leeway to rush the passer off the edge, Matthews' role this season has been much less about hitting the quarterback and more about stopping runners.  

And he's excelling at it. 

First, there are the stats. At inside linebacker this season, Matthews has recorded two sacks, two hits and seven hurries.

That's right; even though he played more than half his snaps at outside linebacker against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3, per ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky, Matthews brought most of his pressure from inside, earning his first two sacks of the season. 

But Matthews is also excelling in pass coverage when he is asked to drop back and chase down receivers and rushers, a crucial skill set for an inside 'backer to have.

Opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating of just 45.0 when throwing into Matthews' coverage this season, per Pro Football Focus, and he had a big game-winning interception on Bears quarterback Jay Cutler in Week 1. 

Matt Ludtke/Associated Press

As for Matthews, he'll be the first to tell you that what he loves the most is getting after the quarterback, something he's not being asked to do nearly as often anymore now that he has responsibilities to contain the run. 

"I'm not going to sit here and act like sacks aren't fun," Matthews said after Monday night's game, per Demovsky.

But not only does Matthews recognize the importance of the role he plays in the middle, he's turned out to be incredibly good at it. Better, perhaps, than guys who have been playing that position for years.

When reflecting on his usage this season, however, Matthews indicated he thinks his snaps will be dictated by the score of the game. In other words, when the Packers hold a big lead and are forcing teams to play from behind, Matthews may get unleashed on the quarterback.  

The emergence of inside linebacker Joe Thomas, who performed quite well against the Chiefs, was another factor in Matthews being able to rush off the edge. 

"I think that's kind of how it's going to go this year. If we're able to get a comfortable lead, you force them to be one-dimensional," Matthews said, per Demovsky.

"Otherwise, when we need to stop the run, they're going to call upon me to hold down the middle."

Matthews is proving that whenever the Packers need him to do just that, he'll be more than capable. In fact, he'll be one of the best in the league at it.