Almost three weeks ago, Ryan Smith mused that despite his slow start, Khalil Mack could still win the NFL‘s Defensive Player of the Year award. Since then, he’s registered two sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and an interception returned for a touchdown. The Oakland Raiders are 10-2, and Khalil Mack is a huge part of that. With four weeks left in the season, Khalil Mack has made a huge push for the award.
Khalil Mack: Defensive Player of the Year
Sacks and Forced Fumbles
Currently, Khalil Mack is tied with five other players for third in the sack race with ten. Considering that he only had one sack in the first five games, this is impressive. He’s registered seven sacks in the last five games, and at this rate could surpass Von Miller for the league lead. Mack leads the league over the second half of the season, and has easily been the league’s most dominant defensive player.
He’s second in the NFL in forced fumbles with four, and he’s the only player with at least ten sacks to have a pick six. Mack also has the most tackles of any pass rusher (58), and he’s the only player for force and recover a fumble over the second half of the season, and he’s done it three times.
Team Success
So what separates Mack from the likes of Von Miller? Currently, Von Miller has two and a half more sacks than Khalil Mack does, so why shouldn’t he win the award? Well, because the Oakland Raiders are still 10-2 while the Denver Broncos are only 8-4. It looks like either the Oakland Raiders or Kansas City Chiefs will be AFC West champion when the season ends, and Miller’s Broncos might miss the playoffs altogether.
The defensive player of the year is almost always on a playoff team. With Mack on pace for around 14 sacks this year, on arguably the best team in the conference, he has to be considered a favorite.
Clutch
His teammate, Derek Carr, recently set the single-season record for most game-winning touchdown passes in a season this year, but the word clutch could also be used to describe Khalil Mack. In games against the Carolina Panthers and Buffalo Bills, it has been Khalil Mack that not only sacked, but stripped opposing quarterbacks for the win.
Khalil Mack has become a dominant force, disrupting opposing offenses and terrorizing quarterbacks. Mack has been making the big plays in the big games when it has mattered the most. He’s the hottest hand in the NFL and he’s showing no signs of slowing down. The season is beginning to wind down, and it looks like Khalil Mack might be the defensive player of the year.
