Linemen better be ready for motivated Mack attack
Khalil Mack has been anxiously waiting his shot to line up against the Raiders ever since they traded him to the Bears last year. The Raiders could be forgiven for being filled with anxiety heading into their reunion with Mack in London on Sunday.
Mack, the most destructive linebacker in the game, admitted in an interview with Deion Sanders: “This is one I’ve been looking forward to, man. I can’t lie to you.”
The question becomes how can the Raiders make sure Mack doesn’t ruin their trip to Europe? He’s wreaked havoc with 17 sacks since leaving Oakland, just one less sack than the Raiders have as a team during that time. Amazingly, his 82 quarterback pressures are actually two more than the Raiders have accumulated.
Tackles Kolton Miller and Trent Brown will both need to be elite Sunday — and even then, they’ll need help from double-teams or chip blocks from tight ends and backs.
In other words, good luck, Raiders. GAME ESSENTIALS >> Raiders (2-2) vs. Chicago (3-1) at London, Sunday at 10 a.m. , Fox. Odds: Bears -4.5.
THREE REASONS FOR RAIDERS’ OPTIMISM
TRUBISKY UNLIKELY TO PLAY >> As if the struggling Chicago offense needed anything else to go wrong, quarterback Mitch Trubisky (dislocated left shoulder, slight labrum tear) is highly unlikely to play. That means backup Chase Daniel will be at the controls. The man who’s started just four games in his 10year career went 22 of 30 for 195 yards and a TD after relieving Trubisky during last week’s 16-6 win over the Vikings.
AN OFFENSIVE REPRIEVE? >> The Bears haven’t posed much of a threat to opposing defenses through four games, ranking second to last in yardage (273) and 29th among 32 teams in points scored (16.5 per game). Iowa State rookie David Montgomery is the Bears’ feature back, but he hasn’t had much success, gaining 200 yards while averaging just 3.4 yards per
carry. Their game-breakers are change-of-pace back Tarik Cohen and receiver Allen Robinson II, neither of whom has done much this season. The Bears’ offense has also piled up 14 penalties already this season. To their credit, the Bears are second-best to the Patriots in protecting the ball — just two turnovers in four games — and have allowed just nine sacks.
HOLE IN BEARS’ DEFENSE? >> Linebacker Roquan Smith, whom the Raiders were rumored to be interested in before the Bears took him at No. 8 last year, may or may not play. If he sits, that’s a big break for Oakland. The Bears have been evasive on why Smith was made inactive last week, only saying it was “for personal reasons.” But, coach Matt Nagy still won’t commit to allowing his standout linebacker suit up Sunday.
THREE REASONS FOR RAIDERS’ PESSIMISM
MONSTERS OF THE MIDWAY REDUX >> Negativity abounds when discussing the Bears’ defense, for good reason. Chicago has generated more negative yardage (-168) than any other NFL team this season. The Bears are fifth in the NFL in yards allowed per game (290) and second in points allowed (11.3). If one wants to compare their run defense to the Raiders, consider that a week after Minnesota’s Dalvin Cook ran for 110 yards (6.9 per carry) against Oakland, he was held to 35 yards on 14 carries (2.5 average) by Chicago. Plus, the Bears have more playmakers than just Mack. Ex-Bronco linebacker Danny Trevathan is their leading tackler. Safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and cornerback Kyle Fuller each have a pair of interceptions. ANOTHER BEAR LOADED FOR REVENGE >> Kicker Eddy Pineiro has a score to settle with the Raiders, who he feels treated him unfairly by placing him on injured reserve last year and then getting “blindsided” by a trade to Chicago in May when he felt he had a shot to unseat Daniel Carlson. “The Raiders gave me up for pennies,” Pineiro told the Chicago Sun-Times of the deal for a conditional 2020 pick. Pineiro has solved the Bears’ kicking woes, though, going 8 of 9 on field goals, including a game-winning 53-yarder against Denver. NO-PRESSURE ZONE >> The presence of Mack on the field will only help illuminate just how awful Oakland has been in creating pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The Raiders have just five sacks in four games — only the Eagles with three have fewer. Is it too early to point a finger at the Raiders’ No. 1 pick, Clelin Ferrell? After getting a sack in the opener against Denver, Ferrell has not made many plays. In fact, among edge rushers with more than 100 snaps on passing plays, no one in the NFL has a lower “win rate” than Ferrell, according to ProFootballFocus.