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          Khalil Mack zeroing in on strip-sacks now for Raiders

          Khalil Mack said forcing turnovers is a part of his game that's he's working to improve. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
          • Paul Gutierrez, ESPN Staff WriterSep 20, 2017, 06:10 PM ET
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              Paul Gutierrez joined NFL Nation in 2013 and serves as its Las Vegas Raiders reporter. He has a multi-platform role - writing on ESPN.com, television appearances on NFL Live and SportsCenter, and podcast and radio appearances. Before coming to ESPN, Gutierrez spent three years at CSN Bay Area as a multi-platform reporter, covering the Raiders and Oakland Athletics as well as anchoring the SportsNet Central cable news show. Gutierrez votes for the Baseball Hall of Fame and is also a member of the Professional Football Writers of America and currently serves as the PFWA's Las Vegas chapter president. He is also a member of the California Chicano News Media Association and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Gutierrez has authored three books: Tommy Davis' Tales from the Dodgers Dugout, 100 Things Raiders Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die and If These Walls Could Talk: Stories from the Raiders Sideline, Locker Room and Press Box with Lincoln Kennedy. You can follow Paul on Twitter @PGutierrezESPN
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          ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Khalil Mack, the reigning NFL defensive player of the year, has a new goal when it comes to disrupting games and taking them over.

          And it sounds awfully familiar.

          "That's all that's on my mind when I'm tackling quarterbacks; I want to get the ball out," Mack said. "Why not?"

          Why not, indeed?

          The Oakland Raiders All-Pro edge rusher may have only one sack through two games for the Oakland Raiders but he has been drawing double- and triple-teams along the way, freeing up opportunities for others to get in on the action.

          The Raiders are getting consistent push from the inside, unlike a year ago, and Mario Edwards, Jr. has a team-leading two sacks.

          But when Mack gets into the offensive backfield, as he did against the New York Jets quarterback Josh McCown last weekend, it is an event.

          Mack, throwing would-be blockers off at will, enveloped McCown from the face down, much as he did the Los Angeles Rams Jared Goff in a preseason game.

          And as Mack and the quarterback are heading for the ground, Mack is steady trying to rip the ball free. He did it against McCown, cradling the ball as he was on top of the quarterback.

          Thing was, the play was ruled dead with the sack, even if a running back tried to double-team Mack on the play.

          Jets coach Todd Bowles knew what his offense was in for coming to Oakland and facing Mack.

          "You better bring your lunch every time you go up against him," Bowles said. "Three blockers wasn't enough [before]. Maybe we'll try five or six. He's a tough player. He's All-Pro for a reason. We know how good he is. We just have to try to slow him down a little bit enough to try and make some plays."

          It did not work.

          Last year, Mack had an eight-game sack streak, finished with 11 sacks, forced five fumbles and recovered three.

          So maybe this goal of getting nothing but strip-sacks is nothing new for Mack and the Raiders?

          Beware, then, Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins.

          "It's a continuing process," Mack said. "Everybody's trying to grow and get better every week.

          "Yeah, it's only two games into the season but you can tell based on our communication on the field, getting the young guys and helping them out, everything is looking OK."