Khalil Mack now the NFL’s most dominant defensive player

Dec 13, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Oakland Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack (52) strip sacks Denver Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler (17) in the end zone in the third quarter at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

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They call football the ultimate team game because not matter how good you are, you can’t succeed without the man next to you. For example, last year, Mack would beat his man and all the QB had to do was step up and let him fly by. There wasn’t much of a pass-rush inside last year so that wasn’t hard to do.

This year, the Raiders have Mario Edwards Jr., their 2nd-round pick from the 2015 NFL Draft. His 3-4 DE background and skill-set allowed the Raiders to run more 3-4 looks, a position Mack is more comfortable at. But the main thing he does is bring heat from the interior so quarterbacks have no place to step up.

There have even been times that Edwards beats his man an chases the quarterback into Mack for a sack. Every great, pass-rushing 3-4 OLB has had a great 3-4 DE help them get after the QB. Lawrence Taylor had Leonard Marshall, Derrick Thomas and Neil Smith and Willie McGinest had Richard Seymour.

The Raiders had Aldon Smith for a while this season on the other side but that wasn’t the same as Edwards emergence. The QB can still step up when there are two guys coming from the outside. When you have an interior pass-rusher to go with an outside guy, the quarterback has nowhere to go.

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