The Los Angeles Chargers set out to fix their defense and elevate their pass rush to another level. To do that, they acquired Khalil Mack, a player once endeared to Raider Nation. Interestingly enough, when Mack came to the Bolts, he was called everything from has-been to washed up to injury prone. Mack put those doubters to rest on Sunday against his old team, the Las Vegas Raiders.
In a game that featured another solid performance from Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (three touchdowns, zero interceptions), it was the Bolts’ defense that won them the day. Mack did more than his share, mostly dominating the Raiders’ prized tackle, Kolton Miller, throughout this matchup.
From a statistical standpoint, Mack was able to penetrate into the offensive backfield with ease. It’s definitely a cause for concern regarding Josh McDaniels’ offensive line. By the game’s conclusion, Mack had compiled six tackles, three tackles for a loss, three sacks, and one forced fumble. If you’re looking for a masterclass in pass rushing, that was it.
First game for Khalil Mack as a Charger:
6 Tackles
3 Tackles for Loss
3 Sacks
1 Forced Fumble pic.twitter.com/SEEOQ7ZLhl— '22 AFC West Champs 🔜Ⳡ(@Chargers_BoltUp) September 11, 2022
Khalil Mack exposed the Raiders’ weakness on national television
Raiders fans might not be accustomed to his coaching style with regard to the O-line, but he will be rotating linemen on the right side all season long. However, the left side was one where that wouldn’t have been necessary thanks to Miller. Be that as it may, Miller is going to have some rough outings from time to time. Thanks to Mack, Week 1 was one of those games. In Miller’s defense, he did pancake block him on a few occasions during the first half. Miller’s teammate, Jermaine Eluemunor, didn’t fare too well. Eluemunor was thoroughly outclassed, but hey, let’s give credit where it’s due.
It’s obvious that the Raiders’ loss was also partly the fault of Derek Carr’s over-aggressive play. He either forced the ball or held on to it for too long; it was just a rough outing all around. One thing is for sure: Raiders fans were dead wrong about Mack this offseason.
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*Top Photo: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports