Chicago Bears: Khalil Mack back, healthy crucial to playoff run
Seeing Chicago Bears linebacker Khalil Mack back with the defense was a pleasure in Week 10. Having him on the field and healthy is crucial for a playoff run.
The Chicago Bears‘ successful season continued in Week 10 with their 34-22 victory over the Detroit Lions. Their playoff quest got stronger as they kept a hold of the NFC North lead. They also held firm in the NFC. They now rank third in the conference.
The Bears can take a stronger playoff hold with a win in Week 11. After getting their first division victory since Week 8 of the 2016 season, they play their second of three consecutive division games. They face the Minnesota Vikings, the team directly behind them. A win and they have a stranglehold on the division. A loss and the division is up for grabs.
One of the biggest reasons for the Bears’ success is the play of the defense. The unit ranks fourth in points and yards allowed, are one sack shy of the league lead and rank first in turnovers caused.
The main guy in the defense has been Khalil Mack. When the Bears made the monumental trade to bring in the former Defensive Player of the Year to Chicago, things changed. Many viewed the Bears as being a year or so away from being a team that contends for the playoffs. With Mack, the entire feel around Halas Hall changed. Now, the Bears find themselves atop the NFC North and vying for a playoff spot even if they don’t win the division.
Some may dispute how much Mack’s worth to the Bears is considering he missed the last two games with an ankle injury. In those games, the Bears defense didn’t miss a beat. The unit continued to dominate without him. That’s true, but Mack remains the most valuable player on the defense.
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The two games played without Mack were against sub par offenses. Going into games against the Jets and Bills, both those teams combined for a record of 4-10. The Bears’ coaching staff took a gamble that they could keep Mack away so he could get healthy and still come away with wins. Then they’d have a healthy Mack for key games late in the season.
Their gamble paid off.
ESPN Bears beat writer Jeff Dickerson said this about the Bears’ plan with Mack:
"The Khalil Mack recovery plan worked close to perfection. Following a two-week hiatus to rest his injured right ankle, Mack returned with a vengeance, recording two of the Chicago Bears’ six sacks in a victory over the Detroit Lions.By being cautious, though, the Bears still won both games Mack rested (Jets and Bills), and based on Sunday’s effort, the former All-Pro hopes to be healthy enough to finish out of the year at close to full strength — barring another setback."
Mack is now healthy (or as healthy as he can be) for a tough stretch. They have three games in 11 games, all against NFC North rivals. After what should be a relatively easy game against the New York Giants, they then have games against the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams. The Packers may just have a mediocre record, but they usually play well late in the season. Besides, it’s tough for the Bears to beat the Cheeseheads under any circumstances.
They passed their first test, but now they have a big game next week. The NFL thought of it as big enough to flex the game. Instead of being a Sunday afternoon affair, the game is now set for Sunday night in front of a national audience.
A healthy Mack came out and played strong again. He recorded two sacks and a few quarterback pressures. After injuring his ankle against the Dolphins he didn’t have the explosion and movement that he did early in the season. After about a three-week break, he’s his old self again.
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This bodes well for the Bears defense. Yes, they are good without him, but with him this is the best defense in the NFL. Mack is the linchpin. He puts it all together and the defense becomes almost unstoppable. Having him on the field and healthy goes a long way to helping the Bears get into the playoffs.