Chiefs vs. Jaguars: Frank Clark, Tyrann Mathieu quietly impress
By Byron Smith
Frank Clark, Tyrann Mathieu Quietly Dominate
A look at the stat sheet doesn’t reveal much about the Chiefs newest imports. Defensive end Frank Clark ended the game with one tackle and an interception off of a deflection. Safety Tyrann Mathieu only had three tackles.
Despite these underwhelming numbers, Clark and Mathieu had a successful game.
If looking solely at the box score, it would be easy to label this game as an underwhelming performance for one or both. However, looking at the game as a whole, it was easy to see how the Jaguars offense schemed around the Chiefs two star players.
Going into Sunday’s game at TIAA Bank Field, plenty had been written about the injuries to Jacksonville’s offensive line and how that would effect Frank Clark’s ability to get to the quarterback. So why was Frank Clark unable to even lay a finger on either Nick Foles or Gardner Minshew?
In order to compensate for the weak point on their O-line, the Jaguars were forced to double team, bump, and chip block Frank Clark on every single offensive snap. This is a success. Yes, the defensive line dropped the ball on this success, only managing to get one sack and deflecting one pass. But that is not the fault of Frank Clark, who still managed to grab an interception and pressure Minshew many times throughout the day.
But what about Tyrann Mathieu? Being targeted zero times is a success.
It can be argued that that may have been the plan or it happened by coincidence, and either side’s argument can be injured by pointing out Foles’ injury and the simplified offense conducted by Minshew. But what can not be argued is how effective this can be in the near future.
A safety who demands offensive planning and is able to shut down receivers and tight ends helps lift some of the weight off of a terrible secondary. If the defensive line can capitalize on Frank Clark’s commanding presence and Tyrann Mathieu can shut down receivers, K.C. may be ready to climb some defensive rankings.