There are a host of big-name players who commanded praise for their role in taking the Ravens to a 14-2 regular-season record in 2019. Quarterback Lamar Jackson is likely to be named the leagues MVP. Tight end Mark Andrews was one of the best in the league at his position as he led the team in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. The acquisition of cornerback Marcus Peters turned the defense around, leading to Matt Judon enjoying a career season. Safety Earl Thomas looked a lot like his old self during the regular season, too.
But while these players are enjoying their share of the acclaim, what about the players who no one seems to be talking about? The players who turned up, did their jobs very well but without pomp and circumstance? How about safety Chuck Clark?
NFL.com’s Adam Rank identified an “unsung hero” for every team and picked Clark as Baltimore’s quiet savior.
“Quarterback Lamar Jackson is the undisputed star of this team. And even on defense, when your squad brings in Marcus Peters during the season, it’s kind of easy to fly under the radar. Oh, sorry for the bird pun. That was unintentional. But while the move for Peters might have received a lot of credit for the Ravens’ defensive turnaround earlier in the season, Clark taking over for Tony Jefferson, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 5, might’ve been the best move for this team.”
It’s hard to argue with what Rank said. Clark received tons of praise from his teammates this season, especially Thomas, for his football intelligence, according to Ravens staff writer Clifton Brown. And he played a pivotal role in Baltimore’s defense, seeing time at both safety and linebacker in the Ravens’ complex scheme. Yet, he only won one Player of the Game awards from us here at Ravens Wire in spite of his solid play every week.
Clark started all 11 games following Jefferson’s injury and registered 57 combined tackles in those games. He also registered a tackle for loss and landed three quarterback hits. Clark was no mug in coverage either, with eight of his nine passes defended coming in these 11 games. Throughout the season, Clark allowed 22-of-35 passes to completed in his coverage but surrendered just 193 yards. That’s an impressively miserly 5.5 yards per target. He also recorded his first career sack against the 49ers in Week 13.
Whether Clark has done enough to prove he is the long-term answer at safety is open to debate. Jefferson is still under contract in 2020, although the general consensus is he’s a possible cap casualty this offseason. The Ravens were also in on the Jamal Adams sweepstakes prior to the trade deadline and may well be interested in renewing that interest. But whatever the future holds, Clark played a vital role in Baltimore’s dominance in 2019, and for that, he should be celebrated.
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