By now, you've all likely seen the highlights from the Oakland Raiders' 15-12 victory over the Denver Broncos yesterday. For those of you that haven't, you may rightfully assume the game must have been an ugly mess with a final score like that. For the most part, you'd be right (the Raiders had -12 offensive yards entering the second half). But one aspect of the game was exceptionally beautiful: Khalil Mack.
The second-year linebackers notched five (!) sacks on the day, tying Hall of Famer Howie Long's franchise record for the most in one game. In doing so, Mack drove home the point that he is more than just a steady player. As a former No. 5 overall pick, he's becoming an elite playmaker.
"Sunday, Mack put up his first true signature NFL game," ESPN Raiders reporter Bill Williamson wrote. "It will go down as one of the great individual performances in the history of this heated rivalry."
More importantly, it is another step in what has become an increasingly impressive trend for the young defender.
"Mack, who was a very nice but not great player for the first season-and-a-half of his NFL career, has been playing at an elevated level for the past four games - which were, coincidentally or not, the first four games of a yearlong NFL suspension of fellow Oakland pass-rusher Aldon Smith," Williamson wrote.
"Mack has nine sacks in the past three games, and 14 sacks on the season. He's also the only player in the NFL this season to have at least two sacks in three straight games. He had four last season as a rookie."
Quarterback Derek Carr rightly gets most of the headlines for Oakland given the position he plays and the strides he's made this year. But Mack is making the on-field argument that he's the franchise's best overall player. To Oakland, this development isn't anything new as they were expecting something along these lines during the preseason.
"After his rookie season, Mack was considered more steady than spectacular," Williamson continued. "Both head coach Jack Del Rio and defensive coordinator Ken Norton said prior to Mack's first season with the Raiders they wanted to see him reach the next level in his second NFL season. He has been doing that for the past month."
