For all of the struggles that the Chicago Bears have endured this season, it hasn’t been due to their defense, which again is a top-five defense in the NFL.
One of the reasons for Chicago’s defensive success remains star edge rusher Khalil Mack, who leads the Bears with 6.5 sacks this season. But his contributions have always gone beyond the box score. And his performance hasn’t gone unnoticed by the folks at Pro Football Focus.
Mack is PFF’s second-highest graded edge defender through Week 11 this season. He nabbed a 91.6 grade that ranks just behind Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt at 92.1.
🥇 T.J. Watt
🥈 Khalil Mack
🥉 Demarcus LawrencePFF's highest-graded EDGE Defenders of 2020 🏆 pic.twitter.com/CpjrxOK0ve
— PFF (@PFF) November 24, 2020
Mack has nabbed the highest pass rush grade at 90.7 and the second-best run defense grade of 88.4. His coverage grade of 70.4 ranks sixth among eligible defenders.
With the Green Bay Packers on deck this Sunday night, Mack has a chance to make the kind of big-time impact on the primetime stage that could help the Bears get their first win over the Packers since December 2018.
