9781422274712

First Playoff Appearance One of the things that Mack doeswell is to disrupt the flowof an offense. If he is notmaking a sackon thequarterbackwhenhe gets into thebackfield, Mack finds away tobring theball carrier down before he can gain any yards. Tackles for loss of yards (TFLs) are an important statistic for defensive players. It is used tomeasure their ability to get to the quarterback or stop a running play before it has a chance to develop. Mack had recorded fifty-three TFLs prior tohis first playoffgame on January 7, 2017, against theHoustonTexans. For the game

he recorded eleven tackles, including eight solo tackles and two tackles for loss. Not too shabby for a first playoff appear- ance; however, the Bears lost toHouston 27–14.

Mack shows his disruptive skills in the backfield, as seen in this tackle for a loss in his playoff game (at 2:25) against the Houston Texans, January 7, 2017.

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Gridiron Greats: Pro Football’s Best Players