NEWSLETTER
My rule of thumb for big games is that if no one has to tell you it’s a big game, well, then it’s a big one.
But if you needed any clarity regarding the importance of the Sunday Night Football showdown between the first-place Chicago Bears and second-place Minnesota Vikings, look no further than Khalil Mack. Because while Mack would like to take it one game at a time and keep a level head going into this matchup, there is no doubt this one means just a little more than others.
“These are the games you live for,” Mack said about being on primetime with so much on the line. “You want to be in a spot where you can kind of clinch this thing down the line. This is going to be a game that can very well tell the story toward the end of the season.”
Sure, I’d looooove to play it cool and act like it’s just another game. It isn’t. It’s the Bears and Vikings for NFC North supremacy. I’ve been pumped up about this game since NBC flexed it into primetime. And the buzz hasn’t died down since. The Bears have won back-to-back games since the announcement and have watched their playoff odds improve to a place where they’re sitting pretty. And frankly, Mack’s on-the-field performance is a major reason why this game is as big as it is. Because in addition to being a defense-transforming difference-maker, remembering Mack’s time under the lights this season is everything you need to get yourself jacked up about this game.
Mack has proven to be a primetime performer early in his Bears career and I hope that bodes well for tonight. He picked up a sack, forced and recovered a fumble, and collected a pick-six in his debut against the Green Bay Packers in Week 1 on SNF at Lambeau Field. And a week later, Mack gathered another sack and another forced fumble during the Bears’ win against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football.
So what does someone still playing like he’s looking for a $100 million payday months after receiving one do for an encore? The only way to find out is to tune into NBC tonight and watch the best reality television show play out in front of our own eyes.
