Khalil Mack didn’t sign up for this. Starting a season with three consecutive losses going into a game Sunday against the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks was not what he had in mind when he re-signed with the Chargers on a one-year, $18 million contract in March.
“I’ve been able to do a lot of different things in this league for the past 13 years but, ultimately, you want to win the big game, man,” said Mack, a nine-time Pro Bowl pick. “It’s all about winning and playing team ball. Just got to get ready for the next one and get ready to win the next one.”
Mack’s résumé is stellar, making him a near-mortal lock to be enshrined at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, when his playing days are done. He was the Defensive Rookie of the Year with the then-Oakland Raiders in 2014, establishing himself as one of the NFL’s top pass rushers.
In the seasons that followed, including four with the Raiders and four with the Chicago Bears before the Chargers acquired him March 10, 2022, he has earned almost every honor imaginable. He’s been a pillar for the Chargers’ defense for going on five seasons.
Mack has won some with the Chargers and he’s lost some.
What he hasn’t done, what his teams haven’t accomplished, is win a playoff game.
So, when he mentions wanting to win “the big game” he’s not just talking about winning the Super Bowl as a crowning achievement to his remarkable career, he’s talking about winning when it means the most. So far, he’s 0-6 in the playoffs, including 0-3 with the Chargers.
A winless start in three games to begin his 13th season in the NFL, and fifth with the Chargers, had him feeling “extremely frustrated” in the wake of their 24-16 loss last Sunday to the Buffalo Bills, and with the Seahawks (2-1) awaiting their arrival for this Sunday’s game in Seattle.
“Another missed opportunity,” he said of losing to the Bills (3-0) after the Chargers had five takeaways, including two interceptions of former MVP quarterback Josh Allen by rookie safety Genesis Smith. “I feel like we hit our stride in the first three quarters, not physically, but we’ve got to be able to finish when it matters the most.
“It’s extremely frustrating just knowing who we want to be, the team we want to be and the team we are, you know what I mean? It’s all about putting it on film on Sunday and coming in here (the Chargers’ practice facility) and working, working to get everything right for Sundays.
“Yeah, man, the wins are on the way. We’ve just got to take them.”
The Chargers’ defense has upheld its end of the bargain for the most part this season, improving each week under new defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary, who is calling plays for the first time in the NFL after he was a rookie play-caller last season for the University of Western Michigan.
Although the Chargers tormented Allen last week for the better part of three quarters, sacking him four times by game’s end and preventing him from throwing a touchdown pass, they still gave up 14 points in the pivotal fourth quarter and squandered a 13-10 lead going into the period.
Overall, the Chargers are giving up 25.3 points per game, 20th in the 32-team league. They have given up 349.3 yards per game, 23rd in the league. They have given up 116.3 yards rushing per game, tied for 19th, and 233 yards passing per game, 21st-best in the NFL.
“Tuli (Tuipulotu, a fellow outside linebacker) talked about it a little bit after the game (Sunday), about being able to do the things we were doing defensively, but it only means the most when you come away with a victory, so we’re looking forward to having one of those performances on Sunday and coming away with the victory,” Mack said.
What comes later isn’t on Mack’s mind. Some day, he’ll consider his legacy as one of the game’s greatest threats to quarterbacks. After all, since 1960, he ranks seventh in the NFL among active players with 115 sacks going into Sunday’s game. What he wants is more immediate and that’s a victory.
“I’m still in it, so I ain’t really been thinking about that yet,” Mack said of leaving his mark on the game. “I try to be where my feet are but, ultimately, I want to be a part of bringing this organization a championship. The season’s not over. You’re just looking forward to getting a win this week, and not too far ahead.”
CHARGERS (0-3) at SEAHAWKS (2-1)
When: 1:25 p.m. Sunday
Where: Lumen Stadium, Seattle
TV/Radio: CBS (Ch. 2)/640 AM; 103.9 FM and 98.3 FM (Spanish)