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Defensive Line All-Stars: A look back at Week 6's standout defenders

Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images Sport / Getty

It was a bountiful harvest in Week 6 for those who sift through game tape to find quality defensive line play.

A few defensive linemen still stood out above the others. Let’s examine the defensive line standouts from Week 6.

Defensive Lineman of the Week: Frank Clark, Seattle Seahawks

Going into Sunday, Frank Clark’s matchup against the Oakland Raiders' offensive tackles was one of Week 6’s biggest mismatches. To no one’s surprise, Clark took advantage of the matchup, finishing with four tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles.

The 25-year-old showed why he's one of the most backwards-moving pass-rushers in the NFL while using a different method to defeat blockers on each sack.

For his first sack, Clark used a speed rush to wrap around the edge:

Here, he aligns with an outside shade over Kolton Miller. Clark explodes out of his stance at the snap so quickly that by his third step he's stretched Miller’s pass set with his speed. That forces the rookie offensive tackle to turn his shoulders perpendicular to the line of scrimmage in an attempt to push Clark past the pocket.

Once he gets within range, Clark blows past Miller with a speed cross-chop-to-rip move. The rip move drops his pad level so that he can turn the corner at a tighter angle for the sack.

On his second sack of the game, Clark takes care of his run and pass responsibilities while beating a block and bringing down the quarterback:

On this play, Clark again aligns with an outside shade over Miller. Because of Derek Carr’s play-action fake, Clark initiates contact as if he’s defending the run.

However, once Clark identifies the play-action pass, he immediately creates space with his length and executes a perfectly placed long-arm-to-cross-chop move to defeat Miller’s hands. Once he clears contact, Clark accelerates through the pocket, taking down Carr to share a sack with Seahawks defensive end Quinton Jefferson.

For his final sack of the day, Clark converts his speed into power as he turns Miller into a mere speed bump on his way to Carr:

Clark’s initial movements mimic a speed rush, forcing Miller to get a lot of depth with his pass set. Clark uses Miller’s momentum against him when he bull rushes the backwards-moving tackle. Miller doesn't put himself in position to anchor against the bull rush, and soon the blocker is on his back while Clark hauls down Carr for the sack.

Clark already has a double-digit sack season under his belt (10 sacks in 2016). But it still feels like a true breakout season is coming, and he could soon be regarded as one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL.

Pass Rush of the Week: Chandler Jones, Arizona Cardinals

In 2017, Chandler Jones was the best edge defender in football. He used his bendy frame, athleticism, and unique ability to sequence moves together to embarrass blockers throughout the year.

This year, the Cardinals aren't very good, but Jones continues his stellar play, most recently showcasing his skill set with a sack against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 6:

Here, he's in a two-point stance with an outside shade over the Vikings' left tackle. After the snap, Jones uses long strides to eat up the cushion from the left tackle’s pass set. Once he gets within striking distance, Jones lands a well-placed long arm, setting the table for a "forklift" move to knock the tackle’s outside arm away. That gives Jones the space he needs to drop his pad level and wrap around the edge for the sack.

Notice how Jones uses the momentum from the forklift move to turn and align his hip toward the quarterback. It’s an expert demonstration of timing, hand placement, footwork, and body control.

Run Defender of the Week: Akiem Hicks, Chicago Bears

Bears defensive tackle Akiem Hicks was the most dominant defensive lineman against the run in Week 6, accumulating seven stops to tie his single-game career-high, per Pro Football Focus.

Even though it didn’t lead to a victory, Hicks’ stop and forced fumble on the goal line in overtime was the highlight of a solid overall performance against the run:

On this play, Hicks aligns head-up over the Dolphins' right guard. After the snap, he executes a forearm shiver to displace the guard and is then in perfect position to make the tackle before the running back can score. He's not done there, as Hicks also forces a fumble that the Bears recover.

Often, defensive linemen make game-changing plays as pass-rushers. However, Hicks did his part against the run and put Chicago in a better position to win. That didn’t work out, but Hicks still deserves praise for his superhero effort as a run defender.

In the Spotlight: Bradley Chubb, Denver Broncos

It’s been a slow build for Bradley Chubb this season, but a breakout finally came for the 2018 fifth overall pick in Week 6 against the Los Angeles Rams when he finished with three sacks and four tackles.

With Von Miller providing electric speed off the edge for the Broncos, Chubb gives their defense a legitimate power rusher. In college, Chubb was able to capitalize on his refined hand usage and raw strength to batter and bludgeon opposing offensive linemen.

It’s been more difficult for him in the NFL, but Chubb’s hand usage and power still allow him to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks. He leaned on those skills to get his first sack against the Rams:

On this play, Chubb aligns with an outside shade on Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth, who is one of the NFL's best tackles. After the snap, he presses upfield for two steps before attacking Whitworth down the middle with an old-school bull rush.

Chubb does an excellent job of initiating contact with inside hands and proper pad level, allowing him to win the leverage battle and maximize his power on the rush. Once Whitworth attempts to anchor against Chubb’s power rush, the rookie defender shows off his raw strength as he bench presses the veteran tackle off his frame to disengage and make the sack.

The play was also an impressive demonstration of executing the finer details of a bull rush. Chubb’s effectiveness as a power rusher will start to open up his speed rush game, and that’s when he'll get to truly show off the skill set that made him the No. 1 edge defender in the 2018 NFL Draft.

John Owning is a football writer at theScore. He has written for Bleacher Report and Football Insiders. He was also the lead NFL content editor at FanRag Sports. John provides analysis on the Dallas Cowboys for the Dallas Morning News and edits for The Quant Edge. Find him on Twitter @JohnOwning.

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