How to Watch Kenny Clark Dominate From Your Couch

Kenny Clark is a great player, but outside of watching for splash plays like sacks, how can we know how he's doing?Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times

Watching football at home presents a dilemma. It's easily the most comfortable environment in which to watch a game, but it's sometimes really hard to know what's actually going on. Sure, you can track who's catching passes and scoring touchdowns, but what if you want to really get into the nitty gritty? What if you're trying to figure out what's going on with the offensive and defensive linemen?

Take, for instance, young Packers star Kenny Clark. It is really hard to see what guys like Kenny Clark do well unless you're watching the all-22 film, and that's because the TV broadcasts you're watching at home are more or less set up to prevent you from seeing what he does.

But that doesn't mean it's entirely impossible. If you want to evaluate Clark (or any other player on the Packers' defensive front) and see what he’s doing well, there are three things you need to do.

STEP 1: STOP WATCHING THE BALL

First,  remind yourself to take your eye off the ball. You want to follow the ball on every play because that's where the action is, and TV broadcasts are set up to follow the action.

Don't take this as a criticism of TV broadcasts, by the way. The whole point of football is either to move the ball into the end zone or to try to stop the other guys from doing that. If you’re focusing on what's going on with the ball when you’re watching games, it’s not wrong. But a lot of what makes the goals of football possible happens far away from the ball. The vast majority of it does, in fact. And unfortunately, even when they’re playing at a really high level, Kenny Clark and guys like him are not going to be around the ball the vast majority of the time. So, to figure out what he's doing well, you have to remind yourself to take your eyes off the ball and focus on who you're trying to track.

STEP 2: KNOW WHAT TO WATCH INSTEAD

Secondly, when you’re watching Clark or someone like him, watch for three major things: resetting the line of scrimmage, penetration, and occupying blockers. 

Let's talk about re-setting the line of scrimmage. This is a very scout jargon-type phrase, but all this is referring to is the act of pushing guys back and getting them off the line of scrimmage. Offensive linemen want to stay on the line or move beyond it, giving them a chance to affect linemen, linebackers, and defensive backs. They want to stop opposing linemen, linebackers, and defensive backs from moving them backward. If they get moved off the line, it makes it easier for the defense's guys to get into the backfield or around the offensive line and make plays. If you, as a defensive lineman like Kenny Clark, can disrupt what the offense is doing by moving guys off the line of scrimmage it makes it so much easier for your linebackers, your fellow defensive lineman, and your edge rushers to get into the backfield and make plays.

Here's an example. On this play, Clark bullies his man off the line of scrimmage here, pushing him back and nearly making the tackle himself. Ultimately, his teammates are able to swarm in and make the play.

Secondly, watch for penetration. This is just what it sounds like. Penetration is all about getting through the line, the primary goal of rushing the passer. When you’re evaluating Kenny Clark, keep an eye on how often he's pushing through the offensive line.

In addition, look at what he does when he gets there. Is he sacking the quarterback? Is he hitting the quarterback after he’s gotten rid of the ball? Does he move a quarterback off his spot? Quarterbacks want to sit back in the pocket and have their protection around them, but pass rushers can be effective by doing any one of these things, so keep an eye on what Clark does when he gets through the line.

In the example below, it's hard to tell exactly what the Bears are trying to do, but Clark’s penetration forced Trubisky to put a bit more loft on the ball and throw a bit sooner than he otherwise would have. This pass should have been stopped for a loss, but poor tackling means Clark’s effort is wasted.

Finally, watch for Kenny Clark to occupy blockers. If he's not resetting the line or penetrating, ask yourself why. What happened on that play that didn't allow him to get into the backfield? It could be because he's getting blocked by the offensive line, but it could also be because he's intentionally occupying blockers. As a nose tackle, that is often Clark's responsibility. He’ll line up directly over the center and try to head off anything going to either side of where the center lines up, often referred to as "two-gapping." It's not always a defensive lineman's job to get into the backfield. Sometimes it's just soaking up blockers.

The play below isn't a perfect example of two-gapping, but Clark, seeing he’s not going to get into the backfield, holds his ground instead. If not for a minor hold, he probably makes a tackle for little to no gain.

STEP 3: WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU SEE

So you’ve taken your eye off the ball and you’ve looked for the three things above. What else should you do? You might want to start writing down your observations, even if you're just watching games casually. Getting into the habit of taking notes will transform the way you watch games.

See an interesting tidbit? Write it down. Player makes an unusual play? Write it down. Someone wearing cleats that seem out of the ordinary? You guessed it. Write it down. Pretty soon, you'll find that you can recreate entire games in your head based just on your notes. You can be as detailed or as basic as you like, but getting in the habit of doing that will help you remember what you’re seeing so much better. 

And if you’re combining this practice with what you’ve learned about watching a specific player, you’ll be able to come up with an even more informed opinion about not just Kenny Clark, but any player in a more difficult-to-evaluate position. 

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