Like every opponent the Bears have faced since the Raiders in Week 5, the Rams weren’t going to let outside linebacker Khalil Mack beat them Sunday. And he didn’t.
But the Rams’ strategy, combined with the Bears use of Mack against them, produced a rare statistical occurrence: Mack, the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL, was shut out on the official NFL stat sheet. He had zero tackles and no impact plays — no sacks, tackles for loss, quarterback hits, interceptions, pass breakups, forced fumbles or fumble recoveries.
It was the third time Mack had been shut out in his six-year NFL career. The last time was in Week 17 last season against the Vikings, when he played only 37 of 57 snaps as the Bears coasted into the playoffs. The only other time he was shut out was in a game against the Steelers in 2015 as a member of the Raiders.
Obviously, the Bears are paying Mack to wreck the game with sacks, forced fumbles and other impact plays. But with Pro Bowl defensive lineman Akiem Hicks on injured reserve since suffering a dislocated elbow against the Raiders, opponents have schemed to contain Mack without paying a stiff price elsewhere on the field.
Mack’s supporting cast stepped up more against the Rams than in several previous games. Inside linebacker Roquan Smith had 11 tackles, an interception, a tackle for loss and four third-down stops that forced the Rams either to punt or to settle for a field goal. Safety Eddie Jackson had six tackles, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble.
Mack, in fact, was in on the scrum when Jackson forced running back Todd Gurley to fumble on the Rams’ first offensive play. He was in pass coverage against receiver Cooper Kupp along the right sideline when quarterback Jared Goff tried to hit receiver Josh Reynolds farther downfield and was intercepted by Smith. And the Rams were running away from Mack with an end-around when Jackson tackled Reynolds for a five-yard loss.
Coach Matt Nagy wasn’t concerned about the Mack shutout. The defense did its job, holding the Rams to 283 yards — their second-lowest output of the season. Goff threw for 173 yards with no touchdowns and had a 69.9 passer rating.
‘‘You see that with a lot of superstars,’’ Nagy said. ‘‘You can go back to last year with [Rams defensive tackle] Aaron Donald, when he played us, there wasn’t any [two tackles, one quarterback hit].
‘‘Sometimes that happens, but it opens it up for other guys. [Mack] was a part of the first play of the game with the fumble. He was right there with Eddie Jackson, ripping the ball out.’’
Other factors contributed to Mack’s shutout. The Rams threw only 18 passes. Mack was on the sideline for four of them and in pass coverage for at least four others.
The Rams didn’t take too many chances in the passing game with Mack on the field. In one sequence in the third quarter, Goff threw a deep ball for Reynolds when Mack was out of the game (it was incomplete). On the following third-and-10 play — with Mack rushing the passer — Goff threw a quick, short pass to Kupp for a three-yard gain that forced the Rams to punt.
And Mack was on the field for only 47 snaps, the sixth-fewest of his career. So while Mack’s shutout was eyebrow-raising, it’s not quite as indicting as it looks on paper.
‘‘Khalil, he doesn’t have to change anything he’s doing,’’ Nagy said. ‘‘He’s a pretty good player, and he understands in this scheme it’s cyclical, and we’re just in that right now. Teams are going to double him every single game, and it just gives opportunities to other guys.’’
