Frank Clark, Chris Jones leading return for Chiefs’ defensive swagger

For the second week in a row, the Kansas City Chiefs won an ugly game that left fans yearning for more. The 13-7 victory over the Green Bay Packers improved the Chiefs' record to 5-4.

While the frustration is understandable, we must consider how difficult it is to win in this league. In the same week, the Buffalo Bills only scored six points in a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Kansas City's bright spot on Sunday was the defense. After holding the New York Giants to 17 points last week, the unit one-upped itself today by only surrendering just seven points to Jordan Love, Davante Adams and Aaron Jones.

A significant part of the Chiefs' improvement defensively has been the improved health of Frank Clark. Clark was dealing with a lingering hamstring injury early in the season, but it's evident he's getting healthier by the game.

"I think I'm playing with a lot of swagger — playing with a lot of swagger right now," Clark told the media after the game. "Getting back to that Chiefs ball — you know, for the last three years since I've been here, we've taken that turn midseason defensively usually."

Another change paying dividends has been moving Chris Jones back inside, which the team seemed to commit to on Sunday.

"He feels good," said Clark on Jones going back to his natural position. "That's where home is for him — and I feel like that's an automatic mismatch. It opens up the game for other players as well."

Over the last four games (Washington, Tennesee, the New York Giants and Green Bay), the Chiefs defense has allowed 16 points per game. Admittedly, the stretch did not include the most extraordinary offenses the league has to offer, but the progress after a historically bad start is, without a doubt, there.

The Chiefs' wins undoubtedly felt better over the last three seasons — but Kansas City's fans have been spoiled in recent years. The NFL makes for a challenging environment to win consistently, and it's not always going to be pretty. Teams have been striving for ways to beat this Chiefs team for a while now.

"The NFL is sort of becoming like the NBA," Clark stressed. "We've been like the power team, this stacked team these last few years in the NFL. I feel like over the course of the last few years teams have actually built their teams around beating the Chiefs."

A half a game out of the division, next week's Sunday Night Football game against the Las Vegas Raiders has become all the more critical. The Chiefs will take a win in Las Vegas — ugly or otherwise.