PFF Recap: Grading the Oakland Raiders in Week 9
By Austin Gayle
Look Who’s Mack, Mack Again
After having an underwhelming start to his third NFL season, Raiders edge-rusher Khalil Mack has silenced the critics with his dominant, unwavering play in recent weeks, and he continued to build on previous success with his performance against Denver.
Mack registered two sacks, two quarterback hits, one pass deflection and one forced fumble, and, in turn, he received a 98.3 overall grade from PFF.com, his highest grade of the season.
The former Buffalo product now has six sacks in his last four games, four of which coming in the Raiders’ previous two games.
Mack’s ability to attack the quarterback noticeably disrupted the Broncos’ passing attack, and with their running game already stalled, Denver quarterback Trevor Siemian simply couldn’t produce under constant pressure.
When facing pressure, Siemian earned a 53.4 overall QBR, completing just 7 of 19 passes (36.8 percent) for 114 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
Though Oakland’s secondary has made significant strides towards returning to relevance, Mack’s production along the edge will determine the reach of the Raiders’ pass defense.
Within the Raiders’ now three-game winning streak, Mack has accumulated five sacks, and Oakland has allowed just 236.3 passing yards per game on average.