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Cris Collinsworth Explains How David Bakhtiari Shut Down Khalil Mack Last Night

Cris Collinsworth Explains How David Bakhtiari Shut Down Khalil Mack Last Night

Chicago's star defensive player didn't sack Aaron Rodgers once in their 10-3 defeat on Thursday.

Sunni Upal

Sunni Upal

Cris Collinsworth revealed how Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari kept Chicago Bears' dominant defensive star Khalil Mack quiet at Soldier Field.

Mack didn't get near Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers all night and ended up with zero sacks when his team-mates managed five.

One of the best defensive players in the NFL, Mack spent a lot of Chicago's 10-3 defeat matched up against Packers lineman Bakhtiari and didn't have much joy.

And NBC analyst Collinsworth revealed to viewers of the NFL season opener that Bakhtiari had an unusual method which threw Mack off guard.

David Bakhtiari's secret is to look at Aaron Rodgers before the snap and not the man he's blocking.
NBC

Collinsworth, who spent eight seasons in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals in the 1980s, explained how the Packers left tackle was quicker off the mark than Mack.

During NBC's coverage of the game, Collinsworth said: "Have a look at the left-hand side. Mack is going against Bakhtiari, two of the absolute best.

"You can see by his (Bakhtiari) head, he's looking right back inside. He looks at Aaron Rodgers, no matter who is on the outside of him.

"He feels like the most important thing to a pass blocker is a quick get off the line of scrimmage, and when you're going against Khalil Mack it's even more important."

Collinsworth revisited the match-up later in the broadcast and said: "He's one of the best, if not the best pass-blocking tackles in the league.

David Bakhtiari had the jump on Khalil Mack all evening.
NBC

Jimmy Graham scored the only touchdown of the night in Green Bay's win at Soldier Field
Jimmy Graham scored the only touchdown of the night in Green Bay's win at Soldier Field

"He's looking all the way back in at Aaron Rodgers. Why does he do that? Because he thinks the most important part of playing left tackle is the get off. Who gets off the ball first.

"He's going to make the first step before Mack even moves. That is really the key to what he can do.

"His ability to stay in front of some of the very best pass rushers in the league has just made him invaluable to Aaron Rodgers."

Green Bay ran out winners in a low-scoring game to open the season at Soldier Field.

Rodgers threw the only touchdown pass to Jimmy Graham in the second quarter while the Packers defence held the Bears to just three points.

Mack was only able to get near the ball once...

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Topics: NFL

Sunni Upal is editor at SPORTbible

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