9. Khalil Mack, EDGE, Chicago Bears
Lawrence Taylor is still the only defensive player in the league to win NFL MVP. With that being said, in a culture in which we use championships as part of what defines the greatest players of all time, shouldn’t we then also look at production translating to wins in determining value? Wouldn’t good production leading to team wins nd when the player doesn’t produce leading to losses show the value of the player?
The Bears did win their Week 8 game without Mack, but that was against a depleted Jets team who were missing key players, and may not have been good enough to beat the Bears with a full roster.
In Mack’s first six games, three games he recorded at least a sack and a tackle for loss, three games he didn’t. He also had at least a sack, a tackle for loss, and a quarterback hit. In the three games in which he didn’t record both a minimum of one sack and one tackle for loss, the Bears are 0-3.
In the other three games, the Bears are 3-0, including 2-0 when he recorded at least a sack, quarterback hit, and tackle for loss. When he produces, the Bears win, and when he doesn’t they don’t. If that’s not value, what is?