3 reasons Frank Clark’s return could right the ship for the Chiefs defense
With the offensive line looking better than it did down the stretch in 2020, the Chiefs still have work to do on defense, which they believe should get some help with the return of defensive end Frank Clark.
Clark has been dealing with a hamstring issue that has kept him off the field. Frank Clark first injured his hamstring during training camp and missed Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns. Clark returned for Week 2 but then missed the next two weeks with a lingering hamstring issue.
Now, Frank Clark looks to be on target to start this week's home matchup against the Buffalo Bills, a game that the Chiefs are hopeful he can play in.
#Chiefs' Andy Reid confirms LB Willie Gay Jr. is back to practice. DE Chris Jones (wrist) and S Armani Watts (sick) will not practice Wednesday.
This means CB Rashad Fenton (concussion) is on his way back. CB Charvarius Ward (quad) and DE Frank Clark (hamstring) will practice.
3 ways that DE Frank Clark can help the Chiefs get back on track
The Chiefs defense is just so slow. Any team facing them is going to unload quick with a million crossing routes
#1 - Stability
This is Franck Clark's seventh season in the National Football League, his third with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs defensive line has had a multitude of penalities this season, with formation and offside. Clark's experience will give the defensive line some stability as they try to work out other issues they are having with opposing offenses.
#2 - Quarterback Pressure
The Kansas City Chiefs defense hasn't put a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks in terms of hits. There have been interceptions, but Frank Clark brings that ability to make quarterbacks uncomfortable.
Clark has 49 career sacks, which includes the 2018 NFL season when he had a career-high 13 sacks. This week against the Bills, the Chiefs defense will need to make Bills quarterback Josh Allen uncomfortable in and out of the pocket.
#3 - Give the offense a chance
The Kansas City Chiefs defense was ranked 30th in the National Football League last week. Head coach Andy Reid has said that part of the defense's issue is that they started the season playing run-first offenses. The defense struggles against run-first offenses, which allowed their opponents to score more frequently without a stop from the defense.
If Clark can give the defense the edge that they need to stop other teams, it will allow the offense to not only catch up but, perhaps, play ahead.