ALAMEDA, Calif. -- With the game on the line, the Carolina Panthers sent three blockers in Khalil Macks direction to no avail.He overpowered Trai Turner, beat a chip attempt by running back Fozzy Whittaker and then knocked the ball out of Cam Newtons hands for a game-sealing strip sack before guard Chris Scott could get over to help.Those types of plays are becoming commonplace for Mack, who has put together quite the encore following last seasons historic campaign when he became the first player ever picked as a first-team All-Pro at two positions in one season.With sacks in six straight games, his first career interception and first career touchdown last week and relentless pressure every game, Mack is a major reason for this years success for the Raiders (9-2) and perhaps the leagues most dominant defender.I think him and Von Miller are the two best in the league right now, the two best edge pass rushers and they can do it all, Bills coach Rex Ryan said on a conference call ahead of Buffalos game against the Raiders this Sunday. Thats what Im seeing from him, a guy that can play with speed, power, finesse. You name it, hes got it. When you look at those two, theyre the only two, in my opinion, that are comparable.Mack has showed continual improvement since coming into the league as the fifth overall pick out of Buffalo in 2014. He made a big impact as a rookie in Oakland although he only managed four sacks. He added a few new wrinkles last year and boosted his production to 15 sacks, including five in one game against eventual Super Bowl champion Denver.This year, hes doing it all. From his athletic interception and return for a score last week against Carolina to his nine sacks to his 60 quarterback pressures which lead all edge rushers, according to Pro Football Focus, to his new role as defensive leader now that Justin Tuck and Charles Woodson have retired.Mack gives motivational talks before games and has come up with the motto By any means that his teammates have adopted as the mantra for this years Raiders.Even though Im a younger player, Im just stepping in and doing my part and my role, he said. Its all about that for me. There are still a lot of things we have to do better defensively. Thats whats on my mind right now.That perfectionist streak helped Mack grow from a player who got near the quarterback so often as a rookie but was unable to generate sacks to one who leads the NFL in that category the past two seasons with 24.He has done it despite constantly getting extra attention and recording just one sack the first five weeks.I think the production has come and the stats have come to where everybody else recognizes what hes been doing, but to me hes been really good, coach Jack Del Rio said. Khalil is a rare combination because hes a supremely gifted athlete, but hes got terrific work ethic. This guy comes out and busts it every day for us. Hes a great teammate. Hes humble. He can bring it and he brings it every day. Thats why I had the confidence I had that someday the numbers would come.For Mack, the personal numbers mean far less than the teams success. He took it personally when the defense got off to a rough start, allowing more than 500 yards in each of the first two games of the season and ranking near the bottom of the league in most categories early.But there has been improvement lately, especially during a five-game winning streak that has carried Oakland into a tie for the top spot in the AFC with New England.Even when the defense gives up big plays, it has been stout late. Oakland has faced nine drives this season in the final five minutes of regulation or overtime when tied or leading by eight points or fewer and allowed no points on those possessions.The latest came in the win over the Panthers when the Raiders blew a 17-point halftime lead only to rally from eight points down to go up 35-32 before Macks strip sack ended the comeback attempt.You just see him go out there and he does exactly what he says hes going to do, quarterback Derek Carr said. He does exactly what he does out there at practice. Hes not a guy that just comes out here, shows up and shows up on Sunday and says, `Yeah, Im just freakishly talented and Im going to make all the plays. Which, he very well could, but I think what separates him is his work ethic.(corrects Trai Thomas to Trai Turner)---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Air Max 90 Canada Online .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training. Buy Air Max 90 Canada .ca NBA Power Rankings, ahead of the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs. http://www.airmax90canada.ca/ . Thousands of fans at Mosaic Stadium will be cozying up to each other in an effort to stay warm in chilly temperatures and block the Prairie wind that locals say can knock your socks off. Cheap Air Max 90 Canada .7 million, one-year contract, a raise of $2.2 million. Wieters had asked for $8.75 million and the Orioles had offered $6. Cheap Air Max 90 Sale . Brad Jacobs and his Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., team took control of the game early. SEATTLE -- A string of big hits by the Blue Jays put a dent in the Mariners fading playoff hopes Tuesday night.Toronto erupted for eight runs in the fourth inning and J.A Happ became the majors second 20-game winner, lifting Toronto over Seattle 10-2.The Mariners have lost four of five and fell four games behind the Blue Jays for the top AL wild card and three games back of Baltimore for the second spot.Disappointing, no doubt, but it is what it is, you got to try to regroup and we got to get back to playing good baseball, Mariners manager Scott Servais said. We just arent playing good baseball. Its kind of been the story of our season. We are really, really good or we kind of have some ugly nights. We need to get back to doing what we do.Hisashi Iwakuma (16-12) was staked to a 2-0 lead, but gave up two-run homers to Russell Martin and Michael Saunders during the Blue Jays big inning. Iwakuma allowed a season-high six runs, five earned, lasting just 3 1/3 innings.I think overall when you look back at the game my stuff was there, I just couldnt put it together, Iwakuma said through a translator. That inning I fell behind, two of the home runs were 2-0 counts. Thats not good. You want to get strike one. But overall, in that situation, I kind of rushed my way through. I should have been more patient and that cost me.In the fourth, after catcher Chris Iannetta misplayed Jose Bautistas pop foul for an error, Bautista singled with one out and Martin followed with his 20th home run. Troy Tulowitzki singled and Saunders followed with his 24th homer to put Toronto up 4-2.Kevin Pillar doubled and Ezequiel Carrera chased Iwakuma with an RBI single. Devon Travis greeted reliever Nick Vincent with a bloop single down the right-field line, scoring Carrera from first to make it 6-2. Josh Donaldson walked and Edwin Encarnacion capped the inning with a two-run double.Donaldson opened the sixth with his 35th homer and Encarnacion added an eighth-inning solo homer, his 42nd, for the final two runs.Happ (20-4), who spent most of 2015 with Seattle, allowed two runs, six hits and a walk over five innings, striking out eight while winning for the 14th time in his last 15 decisions. Hes the first Toronto pitcher to rreach 20 wins since Roy Halladay in 2008.ddddddddddddMartin and Saunders became the first Canadian-born teammates in Major League history to hit at least 20 home runs in the same season.The Mariners took a 2-0 lead in the third when Robinson Cano lined a two-run triple off the knee of second baseman Travis that caromed all the way into the right-field corner.That one inning, they put a couple on the board, some tough plays, Toronto manager John Gibbons said. But what he (Happ) did, he held them in check, limited it to two and then our offense took over, which was good to see. We havent seen one of those in a while.Prior to stumbling on the current homestand, the Mariners had won eight straight to charge back into the wild-card race.I dont think anyone three weeks ago thought this was going to be easy, Servais said. But all of a sudden we made it interesting. Unfortunately, we just didnt carry the momentum over here on the homestand. Weve got another game tomorrow, we need to get after it.TRAINING ROOMMariners: RHP Taijuan Walker had no issues after taking a line drive off his pitching arm in the first inning on Monday night. He feels fine. Theres nothing there, Servais said.MARINERS AFFILIATE MOVESSeattle will have two new minor league affiliates in 2017. The Mariners announced a two-year agreement with the Arkansas Travelers in the Double-A Texas League and a four-year deal with the Modesto Nuts in the Class A California League. Arkansas replaces Jackson, which won the Southern League title. Modesto replaces Bakersfield, which was contracted from the California League.UP NEXTBlue Jays: RHP Aaron Sanchez (13-2, 3.17 ERA) gets the start in the afternoon series finale at Safeco Field. Sanchez is 2-1 with a 4.65 ERA and four no decisions in his last seven starts. He lasted just 3 2/3 innings in his last start, giving up six runs on five hits.Mariners: RHP Felix Hernandez (11-6, 3.79) allowed six runs -- five earned -- and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings in his last start, a 6-0 loss vs. Houston. He is 7-2 in 12 starts since coming off the DL (right calf strain) on July 20. cheap falcons jerseys cheap ravens jerseys cheap bills jerseys cheap bears jerseys cheap bengals jerseys cheap cowboys jerseys cheap lions jerseys cheap texans jerseys cheap colts jerseys cheap jaguars jerseys cheap chiefs jerseys cheap rams jerseys cheap dolphins jerseys cheap vikings jerseys cheap saints jerseys cheap giants jerseys cheap jets jerseys cheap eagles jerseys cheap steelers jerseys cheap 49ers jerseys ' ' '