Silence of the Lambs

Bears’ middle linebacker Khalil Mack is often identified as a team leader, only he isn’t.  Team leaders own up to a disaster like yesterday’s 24-21 loss to the Raiders in London.

Mack played OK against his former team, which in turn played great against Mack’s current team.  Oakland’s ground game gained a net 169 yards against a supposedly impervious running defense, while the Bears’ running game was notable in its absence, a measly 42 yards.  Suddenly, Jordan Howard (13 rushes totaling 62 yards for the Eagles yesterday) doesn’t look so bad at the same time GM Ryan Pace’s pick of rookie David Montgomery as Howard’s replacement doesn’t look all that smart.

But back to Mack, who had nothing to say after the loss.  Explanations were left to fellow linebacker Danny Trevathan and safety Eddie Jackson, among others.  Sorry, that won’t cut it.  The defense didn’t show up the entire first half, as evidenced by a 17-0 halftime score, and the Bears’ best defensive player, if not their best player period, has no comment?

Here’s one area Mack needs to work on.  If he can’t own up to mediocre play, he’ll never truly own the middle of the field, or the locker room.