Beyond QBs, here are a few to watch in Chiefs-Browns game ... starting with ‘Dirty Dan’
Chiefs safety Dan Sorensen figures to have a busy afternoon Sunday against the Browns. The Chiefs’ Divisional Round playoff opponent can be potent on offense, and Sorensen will be relied upon to help stuff the run and do his part in pass coverage. T
And that’s not all. “Dirty Dan” still takes special teams’ snaps.
Only tackle Eric Fisher played more snaps during the regular season than Sorensen — by one, 1,049 to 1,048. In his seventh season, Sorensen has been durable and dependable, lining up for every defensive play in his final seven games. He finished as the Chiefs leader in tackles with 91.
He didn’t figure to start 11 games. But with Juan Thrornhill slow to recover from an ACL injury, Sorensen was asked to step up. The Browns will test him in man coverage, the part of his game where he has struggled.
But if the trend continues, a postseason highlight could be in the cards. Two years ago, his fourth-quarter interception of Tom Brady in the AFC Championship Game set up a touchdown.
In last season’s Divisional Round game, Sorensen’s alert play to sniff out a fake punt led to a touchdown, and his forced fumble on the ensuing kickoff set up another to fuel the Chiefs’ comeback against the Houston Texans.
Here are some other players to keep an eye on Sunday besides quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield.
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce
In 2018, Kelce was stoked to play in Cleveland for the first time as a pro. He’s from suburban Westlake, Ohio. The Chiefs came up with a 16-point victory and Kelce caught two touchdown passes. This game is bigger, and you should expect big things from the unanimous All-Pro who set the NFL record for receiving yards at his position with 1,416. Kelce had four touchdown receptions in three postseason games last year, giving him six in his playoff career. Don’t be surprised to see him add to the total against the Browns.
Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark
Is this the Playoff Clark that we’re starting to see? Clark, who came up huge in last year’s Super Bowl run, produced sacks in two of his final three regular-season games. The Chiefs are going to need solid play from their defensive ends Sunday. It will be difficult getting to Mayfield without blitzing, but defensive linemen getting their hands up and deflecting passes can have a demoralizing effect.
Browns running back Nick Chubb
Here’s an amazing stat: During the regular season, Chubb averaged 10 yards per carry in the fourth quarter of games. What the ... ? He averaged a solid 5.6 yards per attempt overall, second among NFL running backs, but that fourth-quarter ramp-up (33 attempts, 331 yards) is an eye-opener. Kareem Hunt is the more favored receiving target, but Chubb had his best effort in that department against the Steelers last week, with four receptions for 69 yards — including a back-breaking 40-yard score in the fourth quarter.
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett
Despite missing two games, Garrett was at his best this season, finishing sixth in the league with 12 sacks. He filled the stat sheet with four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He crushed it in October, when he was named the NFL’s monthly defensive award-winner after recording six sacks in four games. Garrett was honored as a first-team All-Pro and will be looking to keep the pressure on Mahomes.