Minnesota Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes shadowed Atlanta Falcons wide reciever Julio Jones on Sunday, holding the NFL’s leading receiver in check.
When the Minnesota Vikings took on the Altlanta Falcons on Sunday, we knew that wide reciever Julio Jones would present a unique challenge to the team’s injury depleted secondary. Thankfully, starting cornerback Xavier Rhodes was up to the challenge.
After struggling with penalties through much of the season, even wearing boxing gloves during practice at some points to avoid holding, Rhodes was able to shadow the dynamic pass catcher, allowing only 5 catches on 7 targets for 56 yards. Statistically, Rhodes’ numbers won’t stand out, as he ended with two tackles and one pass defended, but sometimes good coverage and smart play is better than an impressive stat line for a cornerback.
The fact that Jones was averaging 13.5 targets per game and gaining 118.9 receiving yards per game coming into Sunday makes Rhodes’ accomplishment even more impressive. For some, it was a surprise that the young cornerback was able to perform so well with having two backup safeties in the secondary to help him.
Sep 28, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes (29) breaks up a pass intended for Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) at TCF Bank Stadium. The Vikings win 41-28. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
The team’s other starting cornerback, Terence Newman, isn’t surprised one bit that Xavier Rhodes had a successful outing. He spoke about that in a recent article on Vikings.com.
"“This isn’t a surprise. He did it with [Lions receiver] Calvin Johnson twice. Jones is a matchup nightmare, but physically, there is nobody who is built better for that job than Xavier. And he looks forward to it, too.”"
Upcoming games don’t get much easier for the Minnesota Vikings when it comes to big named receivers. Rhodes will likely be tasked with covering players like Larry Fitzgerald, Alshon Jeffery, Odell Beckham Jr. and Randall Cobb.
You can see Xavier Rhodes and the rest of the Minnesota Vikings when they take on the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, December 6, 2015. Check your local listings for time and availability.