Khalil Mack and the Chicago Bears finished the season with an 8-8 record, and they still managed to sneak into the playoffs. Now, the No. 7 seeded Bears will head to New Orleans to face Drew Brees and the No. 2 seeded Saints Sunday. It will mark Mack’s second-ever playoff game with the Bears, and the Pro Bowl linebacker seems more than a tad excited about it.
“It’s win or go home, man,” Mack said. “I can’t wait.” When Mike Berman of NBC 5 Chicago noted that the Bears defense has not played up to the standards it has set for itself at times this season and asked Mack what the Bears had to do in order to keep Drew Brees from having his way on Sunday, Mack noted his team would need a Herculean effort. “It has to be some of the best defense we’ve ever played,” Mack said. “The Chicago Bears’ history, you gotta understand what’s at stake. You gotta play at a high level. You can’t really make any excuses or talk about ifs, ands or buts. It’s an opportunity, man. Gotta make the most of it.”
Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times then asked if he and his teammates felt like major underdogs going up against the Saints, and if that mentality has motivated them heading into Wild Card weekend, and Mack had some surprising thoughts to share.
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Mack: ‘I Always Feel Like the Underdog’
Mack answered in the affirmative, but he took it a step further: “I always feel like an underdog. It’s just in me, and I know these guys do, as well, man,” he said, adding: “There’s a lot of disrespect that we’ve been hearing, so obviously, you’ve got to use all of that to your advantage. Not speak on it so much, but go out and use our actions. And that’s what we’re looking forward to doing.”
When Finley followed up, asking where the disrespect was coming from, Mack replied: “Maybe I’m making it up. Maybe I’m not. You just hear certain things, you know what I’m saying? And you take offense to it in the right ways. You use it.”
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Mack Gets Real About Bears’ 8-8 Record
Mack also got candid when he was asked about the Bears’ up and down season, which included a six-game skid along with a playoff berth attained only with help from the Los Angeles Rams. “It’s a bittersweet type of thing,” he admitted. “Obviously, our goal wasn’t to go 8-8. Obviously the goal wasn’t to lose or do this or do that or rely on another team to help us get to where we wanted to be. But we’re in the position to do some things now.”
Mack also noted he is going to look at the Wild Card game against the Saints as an opportunity for redemption. “That’s the only way I can look at it. I can’t wait, man. I can’t wait.”
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Bears’ LB Khalil Mack Sounds Off on ‘Disrespect’ He’s Been Hearing