The Raiders welcomed a double boost to their defence on Superbowl day.
First of all, sack-machine Kahlil Mack was voted Defensive Player Of The Year by the Associated Press at the Sixth Annual NFL Honours. Mack becomes only the second Raider in history to receive the award after corner Lester Hayes way back in 1980. This also comes off the back of being proclaimed the defensive player of the year by the Pro football Writers earlier in the month.
Khalil Mack finished the 2016 season with 11 sacks, five forced fumbles and 56 solo tackles. Of the fumbles, Mack recovered three of them and managed to take his sole interception all the way to the house.
Then, later in the day, the Raider’s D learned that pass rusher Aldon Smith is expected to be re-instated in March. Smith is a former first-round pick who had 33.5 sacks in his first two seasons (in a less than competitive team) before succumbing to off-the-field issues.
Aldon Smith and Khalil Mack crashing the edges on a custom blitz anyone?