OAKLAND, CA - NOVEMBER 27: Oakland Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack crosses the goal line for a touchdown after intercepting a pass by Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton during second quarter action on Sunday, Nov. 27, 2016 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, Calif. (Photo by Jeff Siner/TNS/ZUMA Wire/Icon Sportswire)
Oakland Raiders stud Khalil Mack won the Defensive Player of the Year award making him only the second member of the Silver and Black to win the award since it began back in 1971. The only other member of the Raiders to win the award was Lester Hayes back in 1980. That, in and of itself, is a rather impressive accomplishment for Mack. On a team with as much history and amazing defensive players, for Khalil Mack to be only the second to win the DPOY award just shows how special of a talent he is.
But that’s not the only measure of how special Mack’s year was in 2016.
The Raiders defense in 2016 ranked 26th in total defense, which got me thinking… When was the last time a player won the Defensive Player of the Year award while being on one of the worst defensive units in the entire NFL?
Let’s take a look:
Year - Player - Rank of that team in total defense that year
2015 - J.J. Watt - 3rd
2014 - J.J. Watt - 16th
2013 - Luke Keuchly - 2nd
2012 - J.J. Watt - 7th
2011 - Terrell Suggs - 3rd
2010 - Troy Polamalu - 2nd
2009 - Charles “GOAT” Woodson - 2nd
2008 - James Harrison - 1st
2007 - Bob Sanders - 3rd
2006 - Jason Taylor - 4th
2005 - Brian Urlacher - 2nd
2004 - Ed Reed - 6th
2003 - Ray Lewis - 3rd
2002 - Derrick Brooks - 1st
2001 - Michael Strahan - 14th
2000 - Ray Lewis - 2nd
1999 - Warren Sapp - 3rd
1998 - Reggie White - 4th
1997 - Dana Stubblefield - 1st
1996 - Bruce Smith - 9th
1995 - Bryce Paup - 13th
1994 - Deion Sanders - 8th
1993 - Rod Woodson - 3rd
1992 - Cortez Kennedy - 10th
1991 - Pat Swilling - 2nd
1990 - Bruce Smith - 8th
1989 - Keith Millard - 1st
1988 - Mike Singletary - 2nd
1987 - Reggie White - 23rd
1986 - Lawrence Taylor - 2nd
1985 - Mike Singletary - 1st
1984 - Kenny Easley - 6th
1983 - Doug Betters - 7th
1982 - Lawrence Taylor - 7th
1981 - Lawrence Taylor - 3rd
1980 - Lester Hayes - 11th
1979 - Lee Roy Selmon - 1st
1978 - Randy Gradishar - 6th
1977 - Harvey Martin - 1st
1976 - Jack Lambert - 1st
1975 - Mel Blount - 4th
1974 - Joe Greene - 1st
1973 - Dick Anderson - 3rd
1972 - Joe Greene - 8th
1971 - Alan Page - 2nd
There has literally never been a player who won the Defensive Player of the Year award while on a defense ranked as low as the Raiders were in 2016. The closest was Reggie White in 1987 who played on the 23rd ranked defense.
Clearly this is just one stat and by no means the be all, end all in judging defenses. But one thing”s for sure, really good and great defenses never find themselves ranked 26th in the league. It’s pretty incredible to think that Khalil Mack was able to accomplish such great heights while playing on a defensive unit that struggled in almost every way not involving Mack himself.
Hopefully, another offseason to add talent and another year for young defensive players to improve will result in a more well rounded defense in 2018. We already know how much Mack is capable of but with a better defense around him we could see a whole lot more of these awards coming his way.