Khalil Mack hasn't tried to hide his anticipation for the next games on the Chicago Bears' schedule. It will be against the team that drafted him. The Oakland Raiders. It's also the team that felt they could do better without him. This despite four superlative years of production including a Defensive Player of the Year award. Then they simply ship him out because they didn't want to pay the money for a new contract. One can understand why Mack would take something like that personal.
The Raiders for their part know exactly what's coming. They understand full well the menace that Mack is. Especially quarterback Derek Carr who had to face the star pass rusher for years in practice. This will mark the first time he sees his "brother" at game speed. One thing appears for certain. As much as Mack loves Carr, there isn't going to be any mercy afforded to him. The Bears superstar is out for blood and will do everything in his power to get it.
People seem to have sensed this. One NFL Shop over in London went so far as to use action figures to display what they believe will be the end result of Mack and Carr's reunion on the field this Sunday. Spoiler alert: it doesn't end well for the Raiders quarterback.
Khalil Mack will certainly be going for the ball
Here's the thing. Mack has made it clear his end game with every pass rush isn't to sack or hurt the quarterback. That doesn't always have the desired effect of demoralizing the opposing offense. It's taking the ball away. Watch the man on every rush. He's always going after the ball when the quarterback drops back. Every sack he's had in 2019 to this point has been a strip-sack. One can imagine he hopes to keep that streak alive against Oakland.
Carr, for his part, might be accommodating in this regard. The Raiders quarterback has fumbled three times in four games thus far. He fumbled a career-high 12 times last season. It's clear for all his passing talent, Carr has a hard time remembering to secure the football. Few people understand that better than Mack and there is zero doubt he'll move to exploit it at every opportunity.
