Bears playing it close to vest regarding QB Trubisky’s injury
Khalil Mack isn’t going to spend a lot of time this week putting up bulletin board material. That’s never been his style, not in the four years he played for the Raiders or in his second season with the Chicago Bears.
But Mack did divulge to Deion Sanders during an NFL Network interview that he’s eager to face the team that traded him to the Bears before the 2018 season for a pair of first-round draft picks (with the Bears getting a second from the Raiders).
“That’s the one I’m looking forward to,” Mack said. “I can’t lie to you, man. It’s going to be a big one.”
And that’s about all you’re going to get from Mack, who has never been one for incendiary quotes or public vendettas.
When Mack was holding out, coach Jon Gruden, whose contact with the star edge rusher was limited to a phone call after he got the job, noted that the Raiders weren’t very good defensively even with Mack.
Gruden was right, by the way. They weren’t. Mack was exceptional, yet the Raiders gave up yardage and points in big chunks but did manage to ride a plus-16 turnover ratio to an out-of-the-blue 12-4 season in 2016.
But it was still a shock to see such a transcendent talent get shipped out over a contract issue. And the Bears have surrounded Mack with better talent and scheme than he ever had in Oakland.
The Bears are ranked fifth in total defense at 290.8 yards per game and third in rushing defense at 61.5.
Mack has 4 ½ sacks and has already forced four fumbles in four games. Chicago is coming off a 16-6 win over the Minnesota Vikings where smothered Dalvin Cook and a running game that trampled the Raiders in Week 3.
“I don’t really see a weakness, man, to be honest with you,” Mack said, ticking off the names of teammates such as cornerback Kyle Fuller, linebackers Danny Trevathan and Roquan Smith and safeties Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Eddie Jackson. “We stop the run, give up some short throws here and there, that’s about it.”
And Mack feels the best is yet to come for the 3-1 Bears on defense.
”It feels like we’re just warming up,” Mack said. “There’s a lot more plays we left out there. Looking forward to getting better next week.”
Mack will be facing a Raiders team with only 11 players who were his teammates in 2017 -- Derek Carr, Gareon Conley, Erik Harris, Rodney Hudson, Gabe Jackson, Karl Joseph, Marquel Lee (currently on injured reserve), Nicholas Morrow, Jalen Richard, David Sharpe and DeAndre Washington.