Mack makes star presence felt as Bears top Seahawks
Pass rusher has one of six sacks of Seattle QB Wilson
CHICAGO — Khalil Mack once again put on the sort of havoc-wreaking show the Chicago Bears envisioned when they traded for the superstar pass rusher.
Even better for them, they came away with the victory this time.
Mack had one of six sacks against Russell Wilson, Prince Amukamara returned an interception 49 yards for a touchdown and the Bears beat the Seattle Seahawks 24-17 Monday night to give coach Matt Nagy his first career victory.
Mack sprinted out of the tunnel to a neat ovation prior to his first appearance at Soldier Field since a blockbuster trade from Oakland just over two weeks ago. That deal happened after he held out the entire offseason and preseason seeking a contract extension from the Raiders rather than play under the final year of his rookie contract. Chicago gave him a six-year, $141 million extension that guarantees $90 million — the richest deal ever for an NFL defensive player.
Mack also had the crowd roaring with a strip-sack in the first half, smacking the ball out of Wilson’s hand as he wound up to pass, and he consistently pressured the quarterback. It was more of the same from last week, when he had a strip-sack and interception return for a TD at Green Bay, except there was one key difference.
The Bears came out on top after blowing a 20-point lead against a hobbled Aaron Rodgers in a loss to the Packers.
“That’s a great feeling,”
Mack said. “We took it over the top.”
Amukamara jumped the route on a pass intended for Rashaad Penny near midfield for his first career touchdown, making it 24-10 with 6:37 left. It was his first interception since 2015 with the New York Giants.
Danny Trevathan then stripped Wilson with his second sack of the game.
The Bears’ Leonard Floyd recovered the fumble, and Chicago hung on after blowing a 20-point lead in a season-opening loss to a hobbled Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.
“I’m just really looking forward to the future of this team and seeing how we respond not only to tough losses like Green Bay, but how do we respond to a good win for us,” said Nagy, who replaced the fired John Fox. “Sometimes those are just as hard.”
The Seahawks (0-2) lost for just the second time in nine Monday night games under coach Pete Carroll.
“We’re still a work in progress,” he said.
Wilson has been sacked six times in each game this season. With the Bears applying constant pressure and his receivers struggling to get open, the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback completed 22 of 36 passes for 226 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
But Wilson focused more on the two TDS Seattle scored in the fourth quarter, though the last one came in the closing seconds.
“The fourth quarter showed us who we are and who we can be. … I don’t think we’re far off by any means,” he said.
Chicago’s Mitchell Trubisky was 25 of 34 for 200 yards. The No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft, Trubisky threw touchdown passes to Trey Burton on Chicago’s first possession and rookie Anthony Miller early in the fourth quarter.
But he was also intercepted two times by Shaquill Griffin — on a deep ball that was underthrown and on another throw tipped at the line.
Bears (off ) at Arizona, 1:25 p.m. Sunday; Cowboys at Seahawks (-3), 1:25 p.m. Sunday
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